Did you know that most of the glass that people think they are recycling at work and home actually ends up going into landfills and roadbeds? In fact, almost all of the bottles and glass that Isle of Palms residents and restaurants put in recycling bins are accepted by the county’s trucks, but that doesn’t mean it’s an acceptable practice. The county separates bottles and broken glass differently than the way it treats plastic bottles, straws, napkins and other paper products, all of which can truly be recycled and processed. Glass bottles, on the other hand, primarily end up as waste. This is a growing concern for the environment in general, especially given the nature of our local beach community. It also increases the burden of local taxpayers.
Charleston based Fisher Recycling is starting to change all that and offer a real solution. The firm began as a humble one-person operation in 1992, collecting recyclable goods from several Charleston restaurants and offices at the request of the business owners. Driving an old, decrepit pickup truck, the “ecopreneur” in the making was performing a job that restaurant owners and office managers didn’t have time to accomplish – collecting and disposing of their recyclable waste.
Today, Fisher gives commercial and residential glass a “second life.” Fisher is the only waste hauler that is actually recycling glass in the tri-county area, having collected more than 8 million pounds of it.
Fisher Recycling completes the local recycling loop by processing some of the most colorful and unusual glass it collects into a new product line for homes and businesses – “GlassEco Surfaces” for custom-made countertops, wet bars, landscape aggregate and home décor. The firm has partnerships with several area architects, home builders, remodeling companies and interior decorators for this purpose.
The city of Isle of Palms is doing its part to recycle glass and bottles responsibly. In September 2022, a partnership between IOP and Fisher Recycling was solidified as part of a citywide initiative to recycle glass that was not recycled properly through the Charleston County recycling stream. This is the first program of its kind in the tri-county area. Fisher Recycling offers two public drop sites for glass only, which were approved by the city’s Environmental Advisory Committee and City Council. The drop-off sites for residents, property owners and vacationers are at Mayor Carmen R. Bunch Park and the Isle of Palms Marina. Over 20,000 pounds of glass have been collected as a result of this strategic partnership, and the numbers are expected to grow exponentially with more public awareness.
If you are an island restaurant owner and want to participate in this glass program, call 843-554-6099, email info@fisherrecycling.com or visit glassecosurfaces.com to learn more about this exciting opportunity to help make a difference in our community.
*Sources: Investopedia: Why Social Responsibility Matters to Businesses.