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The concept of foaming recycled glass was first researched in the 1970’s. A decade later, a German firm developed the process to create lightweight, insulating aggregates from glass through a specialized manufacturing method. The technology later was developed further for use of the aggregate as a thermal barrier in road construction.

The very low unit weight of foamed glass aggregate makes it ideal for applications in the civil engineering and construction market, and it is becoming used increasingly as lightweight fill for highways, bridge abutments, retaining walls, foundations and green roofs. It is also being utilized as aggregate in lightweight concrete. Aero Aggregates produces this ultra-lightweight foamed glass aggregate (UL-FGA) from recycled container glass. The manufacturing process takes 100% curbside recycled glass, cleans it, mills it to a powder, mixes it with a foaming agent, and sends it through a kiln at 800-1000 degrees celcius. The end product is foamed glass aggregate with roughly 15% of the bulk unit weight of typical aggregates, making the material one of lightest aggregates available on the market.

The plant tour (45 minutes) will highlight the various steps in the aggregate manufacturing process.