We rarely realize how much trash a single household can produce in one day. If you’re a big wine drinker, or if you own a restaurant or bar, you likely throw away a lot of corks and glass. To help out the environment, why not try to reduce what we throw away and increase our recycling efforts? While some communities insist on recycling, these are few and far between. One way wine drinkers can contribute is by recycling their wine corks.
Yemm & Hart Green Materials: Leading the Way in Cork Recycling
A company in Fredericktown, Missouri, called Yemm & Hart Green Materials, is doing just this. Wine cork recycling has been practiced for years in Australia and Europe, and now strides are being made to bring this process to the United States. If wine consumers send their wine and champagne corks to Yemm & Hart, the company will ensure that they are properly recycled.
Yemm & Hart is conducting an experiment by offering to take corks until there are enough to process. They require approximately 160,000 wine corks and 60,000 champagne corks to begin processing. Once collected, the corks will be transformed into thin sheets, which can be used for tack boards, award plaques, coasters, and other cork-based items. They are also considering producing wine cork floor tiles.
When a package of corks is received, it is unpacked and sorted into categories: pure cork, plastic corks, and contaminated corks. Plastic corks are donated to teachers for art projects, while contaminated corks are manually decontaminated. Champagne corks with wire are separated, and the metal is recycled. Those who contribute corks will receive samples and discounted pricing on products made from the recycled material.
It is interesting that cork recycling hasn’t been more widely discussed. There are numerous uses for this material, which might seem rare to some. But what exactly is cork? Cork is made from the bark of the Cork Oak tree, which is predominantly found in Portugal. The cork itself is fire-resistant, insulating, and, although porous, it provides a barrier between air and liquid. The Cork Oak tree is not only vital for producing oxygen, but its unique cell structure allows it to store carbon dioxide, the main contributor to global warming. Additionally, the Cork Oak tree provides homes to rare birds, such as the eagle, and is a crucial part of the ecosystem in Portugal, where most Cork Oak forests are found.
Essentially, cork is environmentally friendly. It is biodegradable, natural, and can be reused repeatedly. In Europe and Australia, where wine drinking is part of many meals, cork recycling is more common. These regions even have drop-off spots where people can leave their used corks. The cork is then cleaned and decontaminated to be used in a variety of products, such as:
- Pin boards
- Tile
- Engine gaskets
- Hockey balls
- Safety mats
- Boat decks
- Floor tiles
- Shoe soles
- Footwear
- Art and design materials
- Furniture
- Clothing
- Fishing rod handles
- Leather goods
- Protective helmets
- Table tennis rackets
- Dart boards
- Life jackets
- Shuttlecocks
- Even the little balls in whistles
It is surprising that the United States has not embraced such an environmentally friendly practice like cork recycling. In addition to sending your corks off to Yemm & Hart, wine drinkers can also recycle their corks in unique ways.
Many people donate corks to children’s museums, while others find creative uses for them at home. Wine corks have been repurposed for knife scrubbers, pin cushions, and even wired together to create hot pads. Slices of cork can be glued to the bottoms of lamps, vases, and other knick-knacks to prevent scratching on wooden furniture. Corks have also been used to make wreaths, decorations, and dioramas. Recycling cork is easy — it just takes a little creativity.
Each year, approximately thirty tons of corks are collected for recycling in Australia. In this country, cork recycling is part of fundraising activities for voluntary organizations. These groups collect corks from various hotels, restaurants, wineries, clubs, hospitals, and homes. The corks are then sold to companies that manufacture products from the recycled material.
Several other countries are also taking advantage of cork recycling, including Germany, Belgium, Canada, and Portugal. Each country has its own unique method of collecting corks, and many have dedicated websites with more information on how to recycle your wine corks.
