Broward county is considering a sand alternative for future beach renourishment projects in response to a statewide shortage of sand. Yes, Florida is running out of sand. And it's not just because our beaches are eroding but also because when we go to get more sand from the seabed or inland, there's less of it there too. So, what to do? Well, sand (which is silica) is basically the raw material used to make glass. So, bam! Use glass. It can be pulverized and ground up to a size to match the existing beach sand of a particular area, and even colored by grinding up different color class bottles. Sea turtles don't seam to mind it, and it doesn't do anything funky to the water. Plus it's sparkly!
· Broward may line beaches with recycled glass [Sun Sentinel]
Filed under: