September 25, 2000 News Release Distinctive, luminous tumbled-glass recycled from curbside collection and factory scrap A container filled with recycled-glass pebbles, set on a windowsill, captures and reflects sunlight in all the glowing colors of the rainbow. Used in floral displays and fishbowls, as part of indoor fountains and mosaic stepping stones, these bits of luminous, frosted glass not only bring color and light into a home, garden or office but also demonstrate a commitment to the environment. TriVitro Corporation based in Kent, Wash. is the only West Coast manufacturer to produce 100-percent recycled tumbled glass. It is also one of the first participants in LinkUp, a new environmental program sponsored by the King County Department of Natural Resources to promote the use of recycled materials in the manufacturing process. TriVitro gets its glass from green and blue bottles, recycled through residential curbside and business collection programs, as well as from glass scrap generated by a variety of businesses -- from window manufacturers to the semi-conductor industry. To create its recycled-glass products, TriVitro tumbles glass shards in large drums, creating softly rounded chips of irregular size and shape that look as if they were found along the beach, worn smooth by the motions of sand and water. The products are accessible to a wide audience, from consumers and hobbyists to artists and architects. For example, TriVitro recycled glass was inlaid in a large terrazzo mosaic depicting a baseball-themed compass rose, on display in the entry rotunda at Safeco Field, the new Seattle Mariners' stadium that opened in 1999. Under its VitroHue brand, TriVitro offers three distinctive recycled-glass products: VitroCraft - tumbled-glass for home decorating and floral use, with colors ranging from vibrant cobalt blue to whisper-soft aqua and frosty white. Mosaic stained glass - random, irregular shapes used in mosaics and other crafts. Terrazzo aggregate - color glass aggregate made specifically for terrazzo floor applications. VitroCraft tumbled-glass pebbles can be used as a soil cover for indoor and outdoor container plants, such as cacti, bonsai and shrubs. Craft enthusiasts use them to create customized, colorful mosaics for stepping stones, jewelry and wall tiles. Because they are durable, non-porous and use non-fade colors, the pebbles are ideal for aquariums, indoor fountains and water gardens. They are reusable and are easily cleaned by rinsing in hot water. VitroHue products are available through numerous retail locations on the West Coast as well as nationally through Amazon.com. In addition to TriVitro, three other businesses have joined the LinkUp program, which was launched this spring to provide area manufacturers with access to free technical expertise, information resources and promotional services to promote the use of recycled materials. They are Recycled Plastics Marketing, Inc. (RPM), Redmond, Wash., which manufacturers maintenance-free plastic lumber from recycled plastic items; Custom Handweaving of Seattle, Wash., whose owner Susan Snover uses surplus fabrics to weave colorful rag rugs, and Recovery 1, a recycling facility in Tacoma, Wash., which handles, separates and recycles 99.6 percent of incoming materials. LinkUp hopes to welcome six to 12 area businesses into the program during the first year. To date, King County and the City of Seattle have supplied $235,000 for program operation. Related Topics LinkUp Home Page LinkUp Partners Commission for Marketing Recyclable Materials Solid Waste Division Business Programs Recycling Topics

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