A trial melt of the recycled glass took place this week with the molten TV screen glass poured into a mould to produce non-slip glass floor tiles. The project is the result of a collaboration between London Remade, Free Form Arts Trust, Fosters and Partners, the Greater London Authority, and Nazeing Glass Works.
Hugh Carr-Harris, chief executive of London Remade (pictured) commented: “Its surprising the value of some of the things we throw away! Using TV tubes to make high value tiles is exactly the innovative approach to recycling we are developing and aim to encourage. Nothing is recycled unless it goes into a new product. 
“We are changing recycling attitudes with manufacturers. Too often we think that recycling means making the same product all over again, e.g. bottles from bottles, and this is a good example of new markets. With around 30,000 tonnes of glass arising from old TVs and monitors each year we could tile an area 15 football pitches.”
Martin Goodrich, Artistic Director of Free Form Arts Trust said: “Free Form has established the Green Bottle Unit in association with artist David Watson to design and manufacture 100% recycled glass products, with the aim of creating visually pleasing and durable recycled glass products for public art, landscaping and construction use. This trial melt of recycled TV screen glass will pilot our unique and innovative tiles for the exhibition floor in the London Mayor's new Assembly Building. This is too good an opportunity to be missed, we're pulling out all the stops to meet the requirements and deadlines. Our flooring design formed in a tessellated pattern and shades of translucent colour will produce a spiral design reflecting the architectural form”.
Once the prototypes meet the specifications required, 22 tonnes of recycled TV screen glass may be used to create 17,400 tiles for use in the new Greater London Assembly building on London's South Bank.
London Remade can be contacted via its website:
www.londonremade.com.
