From the ashes
Glass is often seen as sustainable because it can seemingly endlessly recycled.
But in addition to unmanageable energy consumption, problematic ingredients are required. Limestone, which has only a limited availability and is mined in gigantic mines with known problems. And soda, the availability of which is changing dramatically due to climate change.
FROM THE ASHES as a new glass discovers infinite supply chains by using waste which has no value so far: Wood ash from pizza bakeries and clamshells from seafood restaurants. These renewable raw materials are available in large quantities in many cities and have so far been thrown away.
The increasingly scarce material quartz sand has not yet been replaced. In contrast to concrete and other high consumers, glass can be recycled endlessly. It can even be ground to sand again, which means that the material is in a closed cycle if the additives are harmless. Unfortunately, many glasses are not.
Additional information
The waste is collected from local restaurants and prepared by studio peipei. Further productions are made with several glass blowers.
Information submitted by the maker and edited by the Future Materials Bank.
Ingredients
Pizza baker's ash, clamshells, quartz sand
Links
From the ashes -> a glass for next generations
Probably the most sustainable glass in the world, says studio peipei
Credits
The glass apprentice (glassblower Prosper Riba Vilardell), Master Thesis at Elisava, Barcelona.