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Bill Meinerding (left), Quality Recycling Program Manager with WPAFB delivered 15 tons of recycled glass mulch to Mike McFann, Director of Facilities at the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery. The mulch will be placed in one of the Museum?s front flower beds.Click to enlarge

DAYTON — To most people, planting a garden with glass shards sounds like a bizarre and dangerous idea.

But on Thursday, July 24, the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery installed glass mulch —which feels like sand — in one of its front flower beds.

The material is produced at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base by a large hammer mill that pulverizes and churns recycled glass shards, removing rough edges, said Diane Farrell, vice president of public relations at the museum. The glass is then ground smooth, passed through a fine screen and washed.

The Boonshoft's mulch is made of green, brown and clear glass shards from recycled beverage products, said Bill Meinerding, Qualified Recycling Program Manager at Wright-Pat. Any single color or combination of colors can be used.

When wet the mulch looks like sand. When dry it reflects light, Farrell said.

The base has produced glass mulch for three years. It became too costly to transport used glass to recycling companies, said Meinerding.

"It doesn't make sense to keep making glass and throwing it away," Meinerding said.

Because glass is made of silica, it is in its natural state and is "going to last forever," Meinerding said. It's nontoxic, drains well and doesn't attract insects or breed mushrooms like wood mulch, he added.

The mulch also can provide learning experiences. Teachers on the base have incorporated the material into class projects by mixing it with cement, and decorating picture frames with it, Meinerding said. The museum plans to utilize the mulch for educational opportunities.

The only downside to the mulch is that it is "extremely heavy" Farrell said. Fifteen tons was required for the one flower bed at the museum, measuring seven cubic yards.

Through its recycling program, the base produces a total of 40 tons of glass mulch each year, which is not enough for all its flower beds. The base does not generate enough mulch for public distribution.

Contact this reporter at nknoth@

DaytonDailyNews.com.