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Orion Sports collects glass from Midland Recyclers and several bars and restaurants throughout the city for use in the Smash Room.  

Orion Sports collects glass from Midland Recyclers and several bars and restaurants throughout the city for use in the Smash Room.  

Colored glass is recyclable, but unfeasible for Midland Recyclers because there were no markets for it within a reasonable distance. Now, all that has changed, thanks to a partnership with Duane Novak of Orion Sports.

Last year, Orion Sports moved to a larger location within the Midland Mall. This move allowed them to make several upgrades and open the Midland area’s only smash room. Participants (dressed in safety gear) enter a room with a crate of breakable items. They proceed to smash those items using a variety of tools provided or by using the room itself.

In the beginning, almost all the breakable items were auction leftovers, house cleanouts and random donations. The demand for glass to smash quickly outpaced the supply. That is when Novak began working with Esther Williams, executive director of Midland Recyclers. 

“We were thrilled to have a reuse option for the unwanted colored glass bottles, glassware and dishes that continually show up at the recycling center," Williams said. "Customer demand is high for the ability to recycle colored glass.”

“It didn’t take long to see an issue with the amount of broken glass that was being generated,” Novak said. “So I started researching possibilities for the use of glass waste.”  

Novak found a green market that could utilize the glass if processed in the right way. Following more research and experimentation, a small commercial crusher and separator were ordered to crush the glass and separate it into five aggregate sizes. This new equipment turns the glass back into sand that can be used in several different applications including art, industrial, construction and environmental restoration projects.

Today, Orion Sports collects glass from Midland Recyclers and several bars and restaurants throughout the city for use in the Smash Room.  

“This partnership with Orion Sports will allow Midland Recyclers to accept colored glass and other types of glass such as plate glass, Pyrex, dishes and glassware that will triple the amount of glass we can divert from the landfill,” said Williams. 

Orion Sports will provide blue recycling bins that will be placed at Midland Recyclers recycling center and with their business recycling customers.

Midland Recyclers will continue to play a direct role with the project and the expansion coming next year when Orion Sports creates a separate division that will focus on other recycling and green technologies.

Midland Recyclers serves the Great Lakes Bay Region as a do-it-yourself drop-off recycling center. They offer a wide array of services and programs, many of which are unique, including business and residential recycling options, confidential document shredding, volunteer opportunities, educational programs, tours and the Upcyclers Shoppe where people can purchase low cost moving and craft supplies. They accept many “hard to recycle” items such as polystyrene foam, plastic bags, shrink wrap, vinyl siding, electronics and batteries. Midland Recyclers mission is to inspire the community to make a positive impact on the environment by providing the means and know how to reuse and recycle.