Idaho buries 300 tons of crushed glass under Highway 75
Idaho transport authorities have successfully used 300 tons of crushed glass as a structural base for Highway 75. This engineering trial aims to solve local landfill issues while providing a durable, cost-effective alternative to traditional road aggregate.
Why it matters
This project demonstrates a sustainable civil engineering model that repurposes waste materials for critical infrastructure, potentially reducing landfill reliance.
Transport authorities in Idaho turned nearly 300 tonnes of discarded glass into road foundation material under Highway 75, creating a durable structural base while solving a local landfill crisis. The engineering trial, executed along a 200-foot stretch of highway near Ketchum, placed an eight-to-12-inch layer of crushed glass cullet directly beneath the road surface. Conceived by late Idaho State Senator Clint Stennett, the initiative redirected massive piles of glass accumulating at the Ohio Gulch Recycling Center in the Wood River Valley into practical civil infrastructure. "This project is an excellent example of Idahoans, business and government working together to use our resources in the best possible way," Stennett said during an Earth Day site visit alongside transport officials, as reported by industry journal Roads & Bridges.
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