Krysteline aims to spur glass recycling efforts in Colombia

Dorset, United Kingdom-based glass processing equipment supplier Krysteline Technologies Ltd. has signed an agreement with a distributor in Colombia with the intention of boosting glass recycling efforts in that nation.

LUP Colombia S.A.S. B.I.C. has been announced as Krysteline’s exclusive distributor in Colombia. Bénédicte Faure and Caitlin Oliver, co-founders of Cartagena, Colombia-based LUP, say they have spent the past year performing market research and analyzing the existing life cycle of glass in Colombia and South America as a whole.

Surveying the challenges faced by the current system and the potential for new methods, and taking into account Krysteline’s 20 years of glass industry experience and product knowledge—including the firm’s patented Implosion technology—led to LUP’s decision to bring Krysteline’s technology in Colombia to recycle glass into powder for use as an additive in concrete.

LUP’s founders say they considered Krysteline’s glass cleanup technology to be vital in the creation of a suitable quality feedstock for the production of powder to meet industry standards in Colombia.

According to a Krysteline news release, LUP considered it a logical step for the growing construction industry in Colombia and local concrete producers to replace a portion of cement with glass powder. This can significantly reduce the carbon dioxide emissions associated with cement and increases the mechanical properties (i.e. greater compression strength and low water absorption) for concrete mixes, according to the two firms.

The first project following the distribution agreement between Krysteline and LUP Colombia is to have a pilot processing plant up and running before the end of 2020.

“Krysteline Technologies’ cutting-edge glass processing technology enables us to effectively manage glass waste in Colombia and create value-add products for our clients,” says Oliver. “In addition, their knowledge of the complexities of recycling system design has proven invaluable. We look forward to working with Krysteline Technologies to promote low CO₂ products and drive sustainable glass recycling solutions throughout Colombia.”

Remarks Steve Whettingsteel, CEO and managing director of Krysteline Technologies, “We have been extremely impressed with Caitlin and Bénédicte’s ability to interact at all levels of industry and government. We are excited to see the first plant installed in Columbia during 2020 and to see our low CO₂ products being used within the construction industry there. Krysteline is an international business, well versed in the challenges and opportunities of developing markets for its products across the world. We feel LUP are an excellent fit for Krysteline and look forward toward creating a bright future for glass recycling in Colombia.”

Founded in 2019, LUP says its vision is to drive the circular economy in Colombia and Latin America by finding profitable and sustainable uses for discarded materials, thereby nurturing social entrepreneurship and creating positive impact for local communities.

Established in 1998, Krysteline specializes in the development of glass processing equipment that incorporates a patented implosion technology. The company says its low-carbon implosion technology extracts, processes and prepares the glass into value-added products for use in a broad spectrum of markets including remelt, water filtration, expendable abrasives, fillers and cellular (foam) glass.