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The city of Lexington announced last week that it is no longer accepting glass recycling.
That announcement comes on the heels of EarthMagic Recycling in Buena Vista announcing that they are no longer accepting glass for recycling, and may soon close if sales of the sand it makes from the recycled glass don’t pick up.
“We have to do something to increase our income,” Kathy Wirtanen, the owner of EarthMagic, told The News-Gazette on Monday. “Everyone loves to give us glass, but we’re not making the sales we need. We love doing what we do and we feel like the community loves us so much. We’re just not making the sales.”
Wiranten founded EarthMagic Recycling in 2021 as a way to offer free glass recycling to Lexington, Buena Vista and Rockbridge County. The company’s mission, according to its website, is to “share the importance of glass recycling by part- nering with area businesses and groups to meet recycling goals and provide an impactful service that would otherwise not be available in this area.”
In the years since, it has expanded and receives glass from up and down the Valley of Virginia, from Harrisonburg to Blacksburg. The glass it took in was largely turned into a variety of different sands that can be purchased through the company’s website, earthmagicrecycling. com. Among other options, the company made recreational sand and craft sand, and sold sandbags and canopy bags.
Last week, in a post on her the EarthMagic Instagram account and her personal Facebook page, Wirtanen announced that EarthMagic was no longer accepting glass and had closed the drop-off locations in Lexington, Buena Vista, and Clifton Forge.
Following the announcement, Lexington and Clifton Forge both announced that they would no longer be accepting glass for recycling.
Wirtanen explained in the post that the company wasn’t making enough money from sand sales to cover operating expenses, adding that “unless a miracle happens, EarthMagic Recycling LLC will officially close on June 30.”
Wirtanen is hoping that miracle will happen and she’ll be able to continue to offer the free glass recycling services to communities throughout the area.
“I’ve put a lot into this over the last three years,” she told The News-Gazette. “I just have to find a different way to do it in order to continue.”
To learn more about Earth-Magic Recycling, or to inquire about its sand products or volunteer opportunities, visit earthmagicrecycling. com or email Wirtanen at [email protected].
