MRF Glass consists of crushed or whole scrap Flint (clear), Amber (brown), and Green (emerald) container/bottle glass made from soda-lime-silica. These standards and practices apply to 3-color mixed glass for purchase or sale in the United States and Canada. Transactions covering shipments to or from other countries may also be in accordance with these standards and practices and may be modified by mutual agreement between buyer and seller. These specifications are guidelines for buying and selling MRF glass and are always subject to the buyer and seller’s agreement. It is recognized that MRF Glass may be mixed with other materials as a result of recycling collection convenience and efficiency, and that quality levels vary widely based on the amount of contamination mixed in with the glass.
Since there are many different generations of Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs), cleaning equipment in operation, and curbside collection programs, the quality generated by MRFs varies widely. Processors evaluate this heterogeneous material by evaluating the amount of:
- Residue (non-glass residue): Higher amounts of residue result in a lower rank as the processor must separate
this residue and dispose of it. - Undersize: Undersize is otherwise known as “fines”. Higher amounts of undersize result in quality issues as
very small pieces of glass can’t be optically sorted. If a disproportional amount of the stream is too small, it
can overwhelm the processor’s capabilities
Contamination:
Non-Glass Residue – Materials found in dual stream and single stream curbside collection programs entering a Material Recovery Facility (MRF). Examples of this material may be: paper, wood, food or organic material, metal/plastic closures, labels, corks, rock, dirt, and other inert materials.
Maximum tolerance -35%.
Undersized or Pulverized Material (“Fines”) –This material consists of mixed color glass particles crushed so small as to render current optical sortation unfeasible. Glass particles less than 1/8” are typically considered to be fines. Maximum tolerance - 30%.
Ceramics – This material consists of broken bits of household ceramic. Examples of ceramic materials are dinner plates, mugs, cups, etc. Maximum tolerance – 2%
Moisture – This is considered excessive water mixed with glass. Examples of moisture are small fibers soaked by rain, ice or snow. Organic materials and dirt can also contain moisture. Maximum tolerance – 5%.
Prohibitives: This material is not allowed and can subject a load to rejection procedure.
- 025% of total load allowed:
- Pyro Ceramics (Fireplace glass)
- Gypsum, wallboard, drywall, glass from construction & demolition debris mixed with CaCO3 fines
- Common moisture-absorbing desiccants (silica gels beads, alumina pellets, closet paks, etc.)
- 0% of total load allowed:
- CRT glass
- Lead glass
- Tempered window glass
- Flammables
- Radioactive waste
- Weapons
- Medical Waste
- Insecticides
- Poisons
- Heavy Metals
- Asbestos
- Other materials that can be classified as hazardous or harmful to human health or the environment
Effective as of: July 14th, 2022
Terms & Conditions
The Purchase Agreement Each transaction covering the purchase or sale of container glass cullet should be confirmed in writing and include agreement on the following items: 1. Product Where possible, each container glass cullet grade shall be specified in accordance with the grade as defined. 2. Quantity Where possible, the quantity shall always be specified in terms of a definite number of tons of 2,000 pounds each. A. If the quantity is specified in tons, the order shall be considered completed when aggregate shipments are 5% under or over the quantity ordered. B. If the quantity is specified in carloads or truckloads, a “load” shall be defined as a truck, trailer, or railroad car loaded to full visible capacity not to exceed established legal weight limits. 3. Packaging It should be stated whether shipped units are to be in boxes, or in bulk by railroad car, truck, or trailer. Where possible, approximate weights should be specified. 4. Price Units The price agreed upon shall be clearly stated in US dollars and cents per 2,000 pounds or in US dollars and cents per hundred weight. 5. Terms Terms shall be “net cash 30 days after date of shipment” unless otherwise agreed upon. Arbitration In the event of a total disagreement between buyer and seller, the dispute should be submitted to ISRI arbitration. In all cases, the cost of arbitration shall be borne by the party found to be at fault, or split in the event of compromise, as determined by the arbitrators.