Recycled Glass Aggregate (RGA) Case Studies

SMR Recycled Glass Aggregate (RGA) is produced from residential recycled glass. RGA is used as structural and non-structural fill, drainage and filtration medium, embankment material, and pipe bedding. SMR RGA has received a Beneficial Use Determination from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and has been approved in New Jersey and Pennsylvania for a wide variety of applications.

RGA is cost effective – typically a fraction of the cost of competing fill materials. It is a 100% recycled product, and may provide builders and developers with Green Building LEED points, as a recycled and locally-sourced product.

Examples of projects where SMR RGA has been used:

Drainage and Bedding Projects

NYSDOT Lane Widening

In fall 2018, SMR provided V.A Spatz & Sons with 370 tons of RGA for use as underdrain medium in a NYSDOT lane widening project along Route 202/206 in Yorktown, NY. RGA Grain Size Analysis was performed by SESI Consulting Engineers. With sieve analyses and RGA photos, the Materials Acceptance Engineers at NYSDOT approved SMR’s RGA for use in the project.

Industrial Site Improvement, Perth Amboy, NJ

In 2018 and 2019, geotechnical engineers and project LSRP, Matrix New World Engineering, approved SMR RGA for this industrial improvement project at the Weeks Marine facility in Perth Amboy. The project customers were Weeks Marine and North American Aggregates. Approximately 10,000 tons of RGA were used in place of natural aggregates as pipe bed sand for a large-scale dredge conveyance tunnel.

NYC DOT Phase 2, Harlem River Drive, Manhattan

In the fall of 2018, SMR provided 100 tons of RGA to the DeFoe Corp for their ongoing NYC DOT construction project on the Harlem River Drive in northern Manhattan. The RGA was utilized as Type 1 Underdrain Filter Medium.

StormTrap Detention System, Avenel, NJ

In spring 2020, SMR delivered approximately 2500 tons of RGA aggregate backfill for a large StormTrap drainage system constructed in Avenel NJ. This underground structure manages stormwater runoff without forfeiting valuable property to detention ponds. SMR RGA aggregate meets ASTM D2321-18 Class II – Pipe Zone Embedment (backfill) for underground installation of plastic, concrete, and steel pipe or tanks. The project LSRP and engineers approved the RGA, which was installed by Pillari Brothers Construction on behalf of Duke Realty. The site will ultimately support a 185,000 SF Industrial Building.

Water Main Extension, Staten Island, New York

In January 2016, construction firm Excav Services used approximately 70 tons of SMR RGA as pipe bedding material for an extension of the water main and installation of a new hydrant at the NYC Department of Sanitation Compost Site. The RGA was approved for use by the project engineers, GHD. According to Robert Governale, President and Founder of Excav, “the glass was easy to work with and cheaper than the alternatives, plus it’s a local, recycled material.”

NYC DOT, Harlem River Drive, Manhattan

In summer 2015, the NYC Department of Transportation approved SMR as a vendor for the supply of Type 1 Underdrain Filter Medium. In fall 2015, SMR’s Recycled Glass Aggregate (RGA) was tested and approved in compliance with New York State DOT Underdrain Filter Type 1 specifications. 500 cubic yards, or approximately 750 tons of RGA were stockpiled and sampled in accordance with NYSDOT standards. The material was supplied to DeFoe Corporation, prime contractor for reconstruction of the Harlem River Drive from 127th to 132nd Street, in northern Manhattan.

MTA Bus Depot, Spring Creek, Brooklyn, NY

Thomas Muse of Muse Design, Inc. always chooses the green alternative. In November 2010, Muse began work on the NYC MTA’s Spring Creek Bus Depot and engineered wetland. The design required 455 tons of aggregate for drainage pipe bedding and covering. Instead of quarried gravel, Muse chose to use RGA from SMR. In addition to being a local recycled product, RGA was the least expensive alternative and best material for this project. “I was looking for a high capacity material (i.e., high void space and infiltration rate), and the crushed glass from Sims Municipal Recycling was the perfect material for the application."

NYS DOT Interstate 684, Westchester, New York

In 2011, SMR provided approximately 6,000 tons of RGA to Grace Industries to use in place of crushed stone as roadside stormwater filtration medium. RGA was stockpiled, sampled and tested at SMR’s facility, in conformance with DOT specifications. According to Ed Bessim of Grace Industries, he will continue to use RGA “because it’s a cheaper, greener alternative to under-drain stone.”

Starlight Park Rain Gardens, Bronx, NY

In February 2011, Grace Industries was contracted by NYS DOT to construct 20,000 square feet of rain gardens to manage stormwater at Starlight Park in the Bronx. Grace chose to use 170 tons of SMR’s RGA in place of crushed stone for under-drain medium. Grace found that RGA was less expensive and performed better than standard under-drain stone. SMR provided stockpiling and sampling facilities in conformance with DOT requirements, and met product gradation specifications.

Kew Gardens Interchange, Queens, New York

Defoe Corporation was contracted by NYS DOT to reconstruct the Kew Gardens Interchange in Queens, in order to reduce traffic congestion and improve quality of life for residents in the area. In spring 2012, Defoe used 700 tons of SMR RGA as roadside stormwater filtration medium. The RGA was spread approximately 4 feet deep over a half mile section on the south side of the interchange. The development meets sustainable design and performance standards.

Fill Projects

Clean Fill Project, Newark, NJ

In spring 2021, SMR supplied Voyager Trucking with approximately 700 tons of RGA for the customer’s truck-stop site improvement project in Newark, NJ. The RGA was approved by the project LSRP and Engineer to use as clean backfill and sub-base, after removal of existing contaminated soils. The site will be developed to support a convenience store, fueling stations, truck parking, and other public facilities.

Kingsland Redevelopment Area Project

In 2013, SMR provided more than 40,000 tons of RGA to serve as a gas venting layer in the Avon landfill capping project. RGA was layered 6 inches deep as part of a 3.5 foot thick cap consisting of processed dredged material and top soil. The capped site will be used for a large solar energy installation.

Harbor View Marketplace – Bayonne, NJ

In spring 2019, SMR supplied 1,600 tons of RGA for use as structural fill aggregate. The RGA was used to improve and extend existing site soil materials. Unsuitable on-site materials that would otherwise be exported were blended with RGA to improve structural performance and support interior roads and parking lots. The project site includes luxury rental units and 240,000 SF of retail space. JMF Properties, RD Management, and Accurate Builders and Developers employed long-time RGA user, Union Paving & Construction, to perform the site work.

Perth Amboy, NJ

In July 2018, more than 3,000 tons of SMR RGA were approved and accepted for beneficial use at the Elm Street Distribution Center, a remediation project in Perth Amboy, NJ, by the LSRP of Record. In accordance with an NJDEP-approved remedial action work plan, RGA was used as general construction fill, and was blended with fill materials from other approved donor sites to manufacture a fill product that meets the geotechnical specification of the project. The product was used to construct an earthen protective cap and to raise the site grade above FEMA flood elevations.

Jersey City, NJ – Residential Lot Clean Fill

In Spring 2017, SMR supplied approximately 850 tons of RGA to Grade Construction for a residential building site on the Jersey City waterfront. RGA, approved by the site’s LSRP, was blended with stone aggregate and used as sub-base for a planted area, in anticipation of future housing development.

Tremley Point, NJ – Site Remediation & Clean Fill

In 2017, SMR supplied approximately 26,500 tons of RGA to the Tremley Point Coal Ash site in Linden, NJ. The site is subject to NJDEP remediation standards, and the RGA was tested and approved as clean fill by the site remediation professional. RGA was blended with other aggregates in a 2:1 ratio and compacted to a depth of approximately 2.5 feet to elevate the site for future warehouse construction and bulk storage.

Residential Development, Lyndhurst, NJ

From winter 2016 through summer 2017, approximately 6,000 tons of SMR RGA were approved and utilized by Iron Hill Construction as clean fill at a new residential development in Lyndhurst, NJ. RGA was blended with recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) produced from demolition of existing onsite structures, and used to raise site grades in future paved areas.

Ford Dealership, Wayne, NJ

In fall 2016, SMR provided approximately 200 tons of RGA to general contractor Centurion Companies, for use as compacted subsurface fill at the Ford dealership lot in Wayne, NJ.

New Jersey Turnpike Authority

In spring and summer 2015, SMR RGA was approved for use as clean fill on the NJ Turnpike Interchange 14A Improvement Project. SMR and geotechnical engineers, SESI Consulting Engineers, implemented stockpiling and testing programs in accordance with the NJDEP Alternative & Clean Fill Guidance, to confirm suitability of SMR RGA as clean fill, both above and below the water table. Approximately 75,000 tons of SMR RGA have been approved and used in this ongoing project.

Jersey City Residential Development

In spring and summer 2015, SMR RGA was used as clean fill for a Jersey City residential apartment complex. The project location is a “Site Remediation” site, subject to NJDEP Alternative Clean Fill guidelines. Approximately 5,300 tons of SMR RGA were tested and approved for use by the project’s LSRP (licensed site remediation professional).

ePort Redevelopment, Perth Amboy, NJ

In 2014, more than 50,000 tons of SMR Recycled Glass Aggregate (RGA) were utilized as clean fill at ePort Redevelopment – a former 100+ acre brownfield that is being developed into an industrial warehousing facility. Environmental and geotechnical engineers, SESI Consulting Engineers, implemented a testing program in accordance with NJDEP Alternative & Clean Fill Guidance to approve the RGA as clean fill, for use both above and below the water table.

Kingsland Redevelopment Area Project

Teterboro Landing, Teterboro, NJ

Teterboro Landing is a 63-acre mixed use development. Site-wide cleanup of this brownfield has been underway since 2007. In 2011, O’Brien & Gere, environmental engineers for the project, tested SMR’s RGA and approved its use for sub-base aggregate. SMR delivered 10,000 tons of RGA to the site, which was spread approximately 2 feet deep over 10 acres. Development plans for Teterboro Landing include retail, office, hotel and light industrial/flex space. All development is expected to meet sustainable design and development criteria, including LEED certification.

Residential/Commercial Development – Bayonne, NJ

In summer 2019, SMR supplied 22,000 tons of RGA to Accurate Builders and Coast Land Development for another phase in their Harbor View Marketplace development project — 240,000 SF of commercial/retail space, luxury rental units and parking. RGA was used as fill in a 2:1 ratio with recycled concrete aggregate (RCA). Materials were blended on-site and compacted in lifts to exceed the required compaction minimum of 95% Maximum Dry Density. Geotechnical performance was confirmed by Geo-Technology Associates.

Unique Applications

Swale Food Forest, Governor’s Island, New York

Swale used a truckload of gramber cullet donated by Sims Municipal Recycling in the construction of 20 raised garden beds on Governor’s Island in the heart of NY Harbor. Measuring 84” x 84” x 24”, the raised beds utilize SMR glass product as a sub-base, mixed with soil, to establish a public food forest project supported by the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability. Educational signage informs the public that an estimated 117,000 recycled glass bottles were used to make the substrate for the garden, which is the amount of glass recycled in NYC every 2.3 hours.

Bergen County, NJ – Sanitary Landfill Closure

In winter 2018, SMR supplied +10,000 cubic yards of RGA for the NJDEP-approved final closure of this landfill, which includes recreational development of the site. RGA was specified by the engineers, CME Associates, to be used in conjunction with processed dredge material, in order to maintain stable working surfaces and slopes.

Sheet Pile Bulkhead Fill, Jersey City, NJ

In winter 2018, Sims utilized approximately 750 tons of RGA at Claremont Terminal in Jersey City as fill between a new sheet pile bulkhead and the original bulkhead that was failing. Fill was required to be placed underwater between the two bulkheads. The initial approach of the marine contractor, Trevcon Construction, was to use gravel, as this is self-compacting under water. As a cost savings measure, Trevcon switched to RGA. They found RGA behaved similarly to stone aggregate, in that it self-compacted when dropped through the water column. Another benefit is that RGA is lighter than stone, exerting less lateral pressure on the new bulkhead.

NYC Fire Department – Rodent Deterrence

In Spring 2017, SMR provided FDNY with a truckload of RGA to use in a test design to prevent rodent infestations. RGA was utilized to create a layer of recycled glass beneath concrete and landscaped areas, adjacent to the firehouse.

Sunset Park Materials Recycling Facility, Brooklyn, NY

From 2010 to 2013, SMR managed construction of a new 11-acre recycling center on the Brooklyn waterfront. SMR worked with geotechnical engineers, GZA GeoEnvironmental, to develop structural fill blends using “mole rock” from NYC tunneling projects mixed with RGA. More than 5,000 tons of RGA were blended with 20,000 tons of mole rock and used to elevate sections of the site by 4 feet, thereby protecting buildings and equipment against sea level rise and storm surges.

Engineered Wet Meadow, Hunts Point, Bronx, New York

The Gaia Institute used 60 cubic yards of SMR's RGA to manufacture a gravelly-sandy loam and replace in–situ soils for construction of a 5,800 sq. ft. wetland meadow. This system treats stormwater from a 6-acre scrap metal recycling yard, and received the 2011 Silver Award for Engineering Excellence from the American Council of Engineering Companies. According to Dr. Paul Mankiewicz, Exec. Dir. of the Gaia Institute, “I can hardly believe the void space in the product I measured, which is very good indeed for water holding and root growth of street side plantings, and mixed with compost we achieved very good capillary structure. This material should be used to build the next generation of ecological stormwater management structures.”

NYC Street Tree Pits, Bronx, NY

From 2010 to 2013, SMR provided RGA to the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation Forestry Division and the Gaia Institute for use in their Stratford Avenue Green Infrastructure projects. In these projects, street-side swales and enhanced tree pits are used to capture and store stormwater. SMR RGA was used as a base material beneath the tree balls and a layer of sandy loam. The RGA serves two functions: a) to support the tree balls on a non-compressive surface, and b) to provide a high volume reservoir for stormwater that is available to tree roots as they grow toward the tree pit base.

Staten Island School Garden Assistance Project, Staten Island, NY

In the Spring of 2019, Nature Based NY utilized 4 cubic yards of SMR’s “gramber” glass as drainage media in tank planters for the Staten Island School Garden Assistance Project, a program designed to promote healthy eating and a love of gardening among school children. Nature Based NY filled 13 planters with 4”-6” of gramber, added a layer of non-woven geotextile, and placed 21” of organic grower’s soil. Tanks were filled with annuals, tomato, squash, corn, berries, kale and other vegetables.

Typical RGA Sieve Analysis

SMR has the ability to stockpile large volumes of RGA for large-scale construction projects. SMR RGA typically has an LOI (loss on ignition) of 2%.

A typical RGA sieve analysis is shown below.

Sieve Size	1/2″	3/8″	#4	#8	#16	#30	#40	#50	#60	#100	#200
% Finer	100	96	61	25	14	9	8	7	7	6	6

Project Sample Size Curves

Attached is a detailed sample size curves for glass aggregate used in a project in Jersey City, NJ.

Sample Size Curves

Why Use RGA?

SMR produces and ships RGA year round. SMR has the ability to stockpile large volumes of RGA for large-scale construction projects, and regularly conducts testing programs in accordance with regulatory requirements and in support of geotechnical engineering.

RGA is often used as is. Depending on the project and geotechnical performance requirements, RGA may also be blended with other fill materials. Contractors and engineers have blended RGA in different ratios with Recycled Concrete Aggregate (RCA), dredge material, asphalt millings, “mole rock” from tunneling operations, and Dense Graded Aggregate (DGA).

RGA has naturally high void space, making it a suitable drainage stormwater management media. SMR RGA typically has an LOI (Loss on Ignition) of 1% to 3%.

Use RGA In Your Next Project

Talk to us about your next construction project.

Cost effective – typically a fraction of the cost of competing fill materials