1. From Glass to Sand –
An Environmental and Economic
Win-Win
Broward County Beach
Demonstration Project
Sandy Gutner, Project Manager
Phil Bresee, Recycling Program Manager Broward County

2. Outline
Overview of Project
Preliminary Results
Current Status
Next Steps

3. What is the Beach Demonstration
Project?
Innovative research project to
investigate the feasibility of using
recycled glass for beach nourishment
on the upland portion of the beach.

4. What are the Drivers for the Project?
 Over 13,000 tons of recycled glass is recovered annually at the
County’s MRF with a recycling cost to the County of approx.
$150,000.
 87% of Broward County’s beaches are critically eroded.
 Beach Renourishment projects are very costly, and can take 5 or
more years to effect.
 Viable sources of replacement sand are becoming scarce.
 Having a viable, pre-approved materials available can mitigate the
erosion of freshly placed materials.

5. Early Project Success
 Awarded, “Most Innovative
Beach Management Project
Award” by the Clean Beaches
Council, June 2004
 Featured in the Sun Sentinel
 Featured in a local ABC report
and a national Fox news report
 First project in US to have
conducted this type of
in-situ testing

6. How the project evolved….
Feasibility
Mixed Cullet Study
Geotechnical
Characterization
Public Perception
Environmental
Testing
Abiotic Analysis
Aquarium Testing
Erosion
Control Testing
Permitting
Erosion testing
2002-2004 2005-2006 Presently

7. Beach Demonstration Project Success
Sum of Three Elements
Technical Feasibility
Environmental
Compatibility
Public Perception

8. Project Approach
Processing Options
Public
Perception
Geotechnical
Characterization
Biological Assessment
Abiotic
Testing
Aquarium
Testing

9. Public Perception
Two Focus Groups:
 Beach Professionals
 Tourism Representatives
Phone survey
 400 County residents
Success of public perception activities were critical
to overall project success!!!
Goal – To perform initial targeted focus groups and public
opinion telephone survey

10. Public Perception
Some Common Questions….
“How will it look on the beach?….”
– Broward County Resident
“Will it cut my feet?” – Broward County Resident
“How will it affect the wildlife,
especially the seaturtles?” – Beach Professional
“Will tourists be able to build sand castles
with it?”– Tourism Representative
“What will it cost?”
– Tourism Representative

11. Public Perception
Concept is Generally Appealing
 Most find the concept interesting,
appealing, and relevant.

12. Key Benefits at a Glance
 Positive application of using recycled glass to address
erosion ranks as most beneficial aspect of sand-glass
mixture.

13. Geotechnical Characterization
Conducted analysis on beach sand and glass samples
 Grain size distribution
 Munsell color
 Carbonate content
 Grain angularity
 Contaminants such as sodium and petroleum
Goal - To assess comparatively the geotechnical characteristics
between sand and processed glass.
Based on the geotechnical and contaminant analysis performed for this
study, glass cullet compares closely to natural sand.
Sand Cullet

14. Environmental Testing
 Aquarium Testing
 Abiotic Testing

15. Aquarium Testing

16. Aquarium Testing
Biological Monitoring:
 Macrofauna Organisms
 Microfauna Organisms
 Organic Content
Goal - To monitor invertebrate survivability and colonization
Results indicated that the organism mortality rate was equivalent
to natural sand.

17. Abiotic Testing
Conducted analysis on beach sand and glass samples
 Temperature retention
 Oxygen availability
 Gas exchange
Goal - To assure the physical environments created by
processed glass, will not negatively impact nesting endangered turtles.
Based on the abiotic testing performed for this study, glass cullet
compares closely to natural sand.
Sand Cullet

18. Abiotic Testing and Construction of
Test Plot
 Constructed a 40 ft. by
40 ft. by 3 ft. deep test
plot
 Approx. 190 ft.3 of sand
and approx. 115 ft.3 of
glass was used in the
test plot

20. Getting the right mix

21. Fill ‘er up.

23. Four different blends

24. Construction

25. Abiotic Test Results
 Testing occurred March 7, 2006 through September 30,
2006.
We measured:
 Temperature
 Humidity
 Gas exchange
Goal – To determine if glass cullet mixtures exhibit the same abiotic
Characteristics when compared to current beach sediments.
No significant difference was detected in any of the variables measured.

26. Preliminary Results
 Glass can be processed into a sand-like substance.
 Glass cullet has same abiotic characteristics as natural
sand. There is not a threat to turtle nesting, hatching
success, or of male to female ratio.
 Mortality rate in water is the same as for natural sand.

27. Current Status
 Currently in permitting to initiate submersion testing
• Plan to include a one time placement of 2,000 cy of glass cullet
below the mean high water line and monitoring.

28. Next Step - Analyzing economic viability
• Prepare conceptual design
• Review logistics of processing transportation
and placement
• Estimate capital and operating costs
• Determine feasibility

29. Questions?