Recycling Innovation and Entrepreneurs

By Rick LeBlanc, About.com Guide

After spending a year traveling in Europe, Ray DelMuro, a mechanical engineer by training, returned to his home in the U.S. He found that a bottle cutting kit had arrived in his absence - he had forgotten ordering it. After trying it, he decided that there must be a more efficient way to cut bottles. It turns out that there is. He launched a business dedicated to repurposing wine bottles, creating beautiful yet functional wine glasses out of empties. He collects empty wine bottles from restaurants and other locations in the Phoenix area, and while his overall process is proprietary, it does include washing, label removal, and a cutting torch. The finished product is dishwasher proof. His company is called Refresh Glass, and he sells through outlets such as Whole Foods and Skymall Magazine.

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• Recycling Entrepreneurs and Innovation
• Entrepreneur Makes Lightweight Footwear from Billboard Vinyl
• A Glass Act
• BigBelly Solar Reduces the Need for Collection

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