Global Environmental Recycling has opened a new plant at Birkenhead, near Liverpool to recycle television and computer monitor glass. The plant can handle up to 30,000/tpa and is the first in a proposed global network of up to 10 plants. The second one is due to open in Malaysia. Glass from Birkenhead will be exported to Malaysia where the consumer electronics group Samsung will use it in the manufacture of new tv screens. The plant can separate clear panel glass from leaded funnel glass and can handle around 1.5M tubes/year. It will also accept glass that has already been separated. A dry process, using friction rather than chemicals, removes lead oxides and graphite from funnel glass. Lighting is used to help remove contamination from panel glass.
