Glass Half Full opens glass recycling facility in Louisiana

Glass Half Full, a New Orleans-based glass recycling company, has opened a new glass recycling facility in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana.

Positioned on a 3-acre site in Chalmette, Louisiana, the 10,000-square-foot warehouse can recycle 300,000 pounds of glass daily, which Glass Half Full says is a 30-fold increase in capacity from its previous facility in the Upper Ninth Ward. Glass Half Full says this boost in productivity will enable it to expand its collection radius to several surrounding states.

The addition of advanced optical sorting machinery equips Glass Half Full to begin producing cullet, the raw material used in manufacturing glass bottles. The company also produces sand for coastal restoration projects in Louisiana.

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“Our new facility underscores our commitment to amplifying the recycling infrastructure and sustainable practices across the Gulf South,” Glass Half Full CEO and Co-founder Franziska Trautmann says. “Not only does it help advance our work in addressing the region’s coastal erosion crisis, but it also lays a strong foundation for creating jobs and economic opportunity.”

The RNGD Building and Steel teams collaborated on the construction of the facility, which is a preengineered metal building (PEMB) assembled from prefabricated steel components designed, engineered and manufactured by RNGD's building manufacturing partner, Nucor Building Systems.

“The RNGD team was honored to partner with Glass Half Full to create a hub for environmental innovation that will benefit our entire region,” says Erin Comeaux, team leader at RNGD.

Prior to planning and constructing the new facility, the Glass Half Full leadership team visited several glass recycling facilities across the U.S. to assess best practices and gather insights from owners. The company says this feedback informed the selection of the 3-acre site along Paris Road, which is surrounded by additional land to accommodate future expansion opportunities.

The Meraux Foundation donated $3.7 million to the nonprofit Glassroots and St. Bernard Parish government to further the development of the glass recycling facility.

“We’re proud to celebrate this milestone for our community, coast and economy,” Meraux Foundation President Rita Gue says. “Turning a former landfill into a hub for innovation shows what’s possible when we invest in smart solutions. This facility will create jobs, reduce waste and strengthen coastal protection—demonstrating that economic growth and environmental progress go hand in hand. We look forward to its lasting impact."

Glass Half Full currently employs a team of 20, with plans to double its employment within the next two years.

Other building team partners include Williams Architects, Morphy, Makofsky Inc., HG Engineering LLC and Cambas Electric.