Birmingham Breadworks + Glass Half Full launch new glass recycling site

Birmingham Breadworks has partnered with Glass Half Full to offer simple, free glass recycling for locals.

“Here at Birmingham Breadworks we believe in nourishing our community not just through food but also by taking care of our planet.”

Birmingham Breadworks Facebook post, Oct. 1

. Read on to learn more about the glass recycling nonprofit and how to recycle your discarded glass. 

What is Glass Half Full?

Glass Half Full is a nonprofit started by students at Tulane University in New Orleans in 2020 after they were frustrated at the lack of methods to recycle their glass. 

“One night, over a bottle of wine that we knew would end up at the landfill unless we did something about it, we hatched a plan to combat this problem.”

What started as collecting their friends’ glass and hand-crushing it has turned into a project that spans the Gulf Coast and converts glass into sand and gravel. 

Much of their product goes towards projects like coastal restoration or disaster relief, but the nonprofit also sells their gravel and sand on their website. It can be used for: 

• Soil amendments
• Landscaping
• Gardening
• Terrazzo flooring
• Eco-construction
• Mortar or concrete
• Sandblasting
• Play-sand

How to recycle at Birmingham Breadworks

Recycling at Birmingham Breadworks is quick, simple and does not require a purchase — although it is a great excuse to grab lunch or a pastry. 

At their location at 2408 7th Ave. S., there is a blue recycling bin exclusively for glass next to the trash. The recycling bin has signage about Glass Half Full.

To recycle your glass, keep these things in mind:

• Only glass can be recycled
• Remove caps and corks
• Rinse food products

Other ways Glass Half Full is involved in Birmingham

In July, Glass Half Full expanded their residential glass recycling collection to include local businesses and commercial entities. 

The New Orleans-based recycler began its first monthly curbside glass recycling routes in the Magic City back in March 2024. Since then, more than 200+ residents have bought monthly subscriptions to have their glass picked up in front of their residence.

Their residential pickup service currently operates in: 

• Downtown
• Five Points South, 
• Glen Iris
• Highland Park
• Lakeview District
• Forest Park
• Crestwood
• Hoover
• Vestavia Hills
• Homewood
• Mountain Brook
• Crestline
• Irondale

You can sign up with a one-time setup fee of $25 and $20/month. To learn more, visit their website.

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