By Roger McKinney

rmckinney@joplinglobe.com

PITTSBURG, Kan. — The ground beneath the sign outside is surrounded by what appears to be shiny, green crystals.

Inside, one can place one’s hand into a barrel full of them. Other barrels contain clear and brown crystals. Still more barrels hold a finer material that has the texture of fine dirt or sand.

It is crushed glass, the end product of Eco-Glass Products. Eco-Glass Products is a project of Class Ltd., made possible through a $75,000 grant from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Class Ltd. serves clients with developmental disabilities in Cherokee, Crawford, Labette and Montgomery counties, said Cindy Divine, community relations director for Class.

“We work really hard at getting our clients employment,” Divine said, adding that Eco-Glass has served that purpose.

Gretchen Andrews, Eco-Glass project director, said the grant money was used to purchase a glass crusher, a conveyor belt and a forklift. She said the goal of the grant is divert 200 tons of glass from landfills during the five-year project.

Class Ltd. clients Chad Shook and Richard Wrestler, both of Pittsburg, were preparing for work on Friday. Shook said his job is crushing the glass and sweeping. Asked how he likes the work, he said: “Good. I like it.”

He said he also likes the idea of helping the environment by recycling glass.

“I love the environment,” Shook said.

Wrestler said he sorts the bottles by color. He also helped Shook crush them after he was interviewed. He also said he enjoys the job.

Don Reynolds supervises the work. He said that most days, four crew members are working. Class clients from the agency’s different locations are transported to the workplace.

Class staff members and clients also solicit glass bottles from bars and restaurants on routes in their towns, Andrews said. There are glass drop-off points at Class Ltd. locations in Columbus, Parsons and Independence, and another drop-off point at the Baxter Springs Lions Club.

The crusher also tumbles the glass particles, removing the sharp edges.