Glass Forever – Salter Demolition: Glass Recycling Excellence

Established for over twenty years, Salter Demolition is a specialist demolition contractor operating across the commercial, residential, and public sectors. Seeking to enhance their existing repurpose and recycling approach to sustainability, the team at Salter approached Saint-Gobain Glass with a keen interest in participating in the Glass Forever Programme for the historic Waterhouse building in Central London. With the support of the client M&G, Salter Demolition enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to actively engage in the programme, identifying Saint-Gobain Glass as the ideal proactive partner.

The initial phase of the project concentrated on exploring internal glazing recycling opportunities, offering invaluable insights for the Salter team regarding the significance of glass identification and proper segregation to enhance recycling effectiveness. Meanwhile, Saint-Gobain Glass demonstrated the ability to process laminated glass effectively, a task which was previously unviable.

Salter’s team meticulously trimmed the laminated glass to fit one-tonne bags provided by Saint-Gobain Glass, optimising the load for shipment. Utilising Saint-Gobain abrasives, the cutting process resulted in an exceptionally high purity of cullet ready for re-manufacturing into new, high-performing glazing solutions. Simultaneously, toughened glass was carefully placed on a custom timber table, shielded to prevent contamination, and subsequently bagged in one-tonne bags secured beneath the table.

The collaborative project yielded profound insights for both Salter and Saint-Gobain Glass. Client support facilitated the sharing of innovations and progress between teams, setting the stage for future projects. The strategic decision to retain the same team throughout the building allowed for a continuous learning cycle, accelerating the pace of work. This commitment to ongoing specialist development within the Salter team fosters a forward-thinking and successful approach to participation in Glass Forever.

Andrei Pantile, reflecting on the collaboration, commented, “It’s been a pleasure working with Richard Calcutt, National Technical Manager at Saint-Gobain Glass. His intelligence and insights have supported Salter in advancing our sustainability commitments, effectively contributing to a closed-loop system with glass recycling. This collaboration has energized the team, inspiring us to explore future projects and opportunities with a similarly systematic and effective approach.”