MRF Glass Used as Alternative Daily Cover

July 12, 2023

The Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) has released a report that reveals data about post-consumer recycled glass containers being used at landfills in the Northeast states (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont) and Quebec. NERC’s Glass Committee compiled the Recycled Glass Used as Alternative Daily Cover in the Northeast US & Quebec Report to get a better understanding of the volume of recycled glass containers coming out of Material Recycling Facilities (MRFs) that never reach manufacturers for making new products, but are instead used as Alternative Daily Cover (ADC)—cover material placed on the surface of the active face of a municipal solid waste landfill at the end of each operating day.

“The Report provides great insight into MRF glass that is not reaching manufacturers for making new products and is instead being used at landfills—the lowest value end use with the least environmental benefits,” said Mary Ann Remolador, Assistant Director of NERC and Glass Committee staff lead.

One of the key findings is that 75% of the states/province reported that post-consumer glass collected for recycling is being used as ADC. These states include Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Quebec. The glass being used for ADC includes crushed recycled glass that is broken into pieces too small for manufacturers to use in their processing, non-bottle bill glass, and glass meeting the state’s specifications for ADC. The states not using glass for ADC are Delaware, Maryland, and Vermont. 

One of the contributing factors for glass being used as ADC is the poor quality of glass coming from MRFs. It is oftentimes considered too dirty or contaminated for use in manufacturing. The contamination is due to the glass being mixed with other recyclables at the MRFs. In addition, many Northeast US MRFs aren’t equipped with the necessary systems for removing glass at the beginning of the sorting line. This contamination adds weight to the glass, which makes the cost of shipping long distances impractical.   

The Northeast US also lacks enough beneficiation facilities that accept MRF glass to serve the entire region. Beneficiators clean and process glass, making it into a feedstock for manufacturers. Without these facilities, the region’s contaminated MRF glass has no viable market within a practical shipping range. As a result, many MRFs are sending their separated glass to landfills for ADC.

Another key finding from the report is that only 58% of the states/province have data about the tonnage of MRF glass used as ADC. These include Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Quebec. 

Additionally, 76% do not recognize post-consumer glass used for ADC as recycling (Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Quebec), and 83% require post-consumer glass to be recycled. Maryland and New Hampshire do not require it.   Also, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Vermont (25%) are the only states/province that have post-consumer glass disposal bans.

The report also shows that transparency with the public about what happens with post-consumer glass could be improved in most states. While some states take a proactive approach to ensuring end uses for recycled material are publicly available, others do not readily share this information. 

After a thorough analysis of the compiled information, NERC and its Glass Committee drew the following conclusions:

  • Until more investment is made in the glass recycling infrastructure, MRF glass will continue be used as ADC.
  • Without having consistent outgoing materials reporting requirements for MRFs, it’s impossible to generate data about the total tonnage of recycled glass diverted for use as ADC in the Northeast region.
  • More beneficiation facilities capable of cleaning MRF glass are needed throughout the region to make the glass economical for use as a manufacturing feedstock.

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Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) Publishes Chemical Recycling Policy Position

By Megan Fontes • May 29, 2025
The Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) published its Chemical Recycling Policy Position on May 30, 2025. The purpose of the policy statement is to articulate guiding principles for environmentally responsible chemical recycling of plastics. NERC supports the conservation of natural resources, waste minimization, and recognizes the role of recycling in reaching these goals. Plastic is a prevalent material for packaging and other products due to its material properties. Producing virgin plastic from fossil fuels is an extractive process with negative environmental and social impacts. Therefore, NERC supports reduction, reuse, and recycling processes that displace virgin production in plastics where environmentally preferable. You can view the policy statement here: https://www.nerc.org/chemical-recycling . The Policy Position was developed by the Subcommittee of the NERC Chemical Recycling Committee. Participants on the Subcommittee included Committee Chair Tom Metzner, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CTDEEP); Claudine Ellyin, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP); John Fay, Northeast Waste Management Officials' Association (NEWMOA); Anthony Fontana, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), Retired ; Michael Fowler, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP); Timothy Kerr, Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), Left MDE ; Shannon McDonald, Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE); Chaz Miller, Ex-Officio, NERC Board; Elizabeth Moore, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CTDEEP); Marc Moran, Pennsylvania Department Of Environmental Protection; Michael Nork, New Hampshire Department Of Environmental Services; Megan Schulz-Fontes, Northeast Recycling Council (NERC); and Richard Watson, Delaware Solid Waste Authority (DSWA). NERC created the Chemical Recycling Committee in 2022 with the goal of sharing information on new technologies called “chemical recycling.” The Committee shares information on the efficacy, cost, and impacts of these new technologies. Our Policy is the result of those efforts. The Committee is open to NERC state members and several advisory member organizations whose participation has been approved by the state members serving on the committee. NERC has published several other policy positions including the Post-Consumer Recycled Content Policy (2019) and Product Stewardship and Producer Responsibility Policy (2018), which can be found among others on NERC’s website: https://www.nerc.org/policy-positions-and-statements . For more information, contact Megan Schulz-Fontes, Executive Director, at megan@nerc.org .

Waste Advantage: Northeast Recycling Council: Q1 2025 Shows Slight Recovery in Commodity Values

May 28, 2025
Waste Advantage NERC’s Material Recovery Facilities (MRF) Commodity Values Survey Report for the period January – March 2025 showed a slight jump in the average commodity prices for Q1. The average value of all commodities increased by 9% without residuals to $102.34 and 8% with residuals to $89.62, as compared to last quarter. Single stream increased by 12% without residuals and 11% with residuals, while dual stream/source separated increased by 10% without residuals and 9% with residuals compared to last quarter. The average percentage for outbound tons marketed per commodity in calendar year 2024 showed decreases for all commodities as compared to 2022, except for polypropylene and bulky rigids, which increased by 40% and 29%, respectively. We also see an increase in mixed glass and residue, as compared to 2022, by 31% and 8%, respectively, further offsetting the decreases in marketed commodity percentages across the board. Notably, green, brown, and clear glass had the largest fall with clear glass decreasing by 77%. Changes in calculation methodology may affect these trends. Percentages are derived from tonnages reported for calendar year 2024 as opposed to percentage breakdowns in previous years. This is the 24th quarterly report in NERC’s series of reports on the market value of commodities from MRFs in the Northeast. This report includes information from 19 MRFs representing twelve (12) states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia. These survey results reflect the differing laws and collection options in the participating states. Five of the states included in this report have beverage container deposit laws. As a result, fewer glass bottles, PET bottles and aluminum cans are processed in MRFs in those states. Those MRFs are also likely to have less revenue from those recyclables. In addition, the report reflects a mix of single stream, dual stream, and source separation to collect recyclables with single stream being the most common approach. The type of collection used will have an impact on MRF design and operation. Thus, the data from this report reflects the unique blend of facilities and statewide laws in the reporting states. Residual refers to the incoming material that cannot be marketed and goes to disposal. The value without residuals reflects the value of a perfect ton of marketed material, while the value with residuals reflects the value of each ton processed with the costs associated of disposing unmarketable material. Note: In many cases, recovered glass goes to market but at a negative value. This data is not intended to be used as a price guide for MRF contracts. NERC’s database represents single and dual stream MRFs, states with and without beverage container deposits, a wide variety in markets and geographic access to markets, and variety of materials collected for processing at the participating facilities. As a result, it represents the diversity of operating conditions in these locations and should not be used as a price guideline for a specific program. For more information, contact Megan Schulz-Fontes, Executive Director, at megan@nerc.org or visit www.nerc.org .

Q1 2025 Shows Slight Recovery in Commodity Values

By Megan Fontes • May 22, 2025
2024 Average Percentage of Outbound Tons Marketed per Commodity Published; New Format: Report Includes Q1 2025 Individual Commodity Average Prices
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