Best Practices in Glass Recycling: Using Glass as a Blasting Abrasive

Issue: Processed recycled glass has been sold as an abrasive blasting medium under several brand names in different parts of the United States. However, limited public information is available regarding the performance of finely sized crushed glass in abrasive applications because manufacturers have developed their own proprietary data. Historically, the predominant material used for abrasive blasting was silica sand, hence the common reference to “sandblasting.” Other media include garnet, staurolite and industrial by-products such as coal slag, copper slag, nickel slag and steel grit. Even walnut shells and plastic beads have been used for abrasive blasting. Individual abrasive media performance depends on hardness, shape, size, weight, and other characteristics. Healthconsiderations are sometimes significant in evaluating blasting abrasives. For example, concerns about silicosis due to the presence of crystalline silica have resulted in very little silica sand now being used in abrasive blasting.