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Glass Half Full Recycling Program Secures $6.5M for Gulf Coast Expansion

NEW ORLEANS – Glass Half Full, a Louisiana-based recycling company transforming glass recycling in the Gulf South, has announced the successful completion of its seed funding round, raising $6.5 million. Led by Benson Capital Partners and supported by Momentum Fund (a new initiative from The Idea Village), Innovation Catalyst, and a group of impact-driven investors, this funding sets the stage for Glass Half Full’s significant expansion across the Gulf Coast.

The Glass Half Full recycling company is erecting a facility along Paris Road in Chalmette, spanning three acres with a capacity exceeding 300,000 pounds of glass per day. This strategic move underscores Glass Half Full’s commitment to enhancing recycling infrastructure and sustainable practices in the region.

Since its inception in 2020 by Tulane University seniors, Glass Half Full recycling program has reprocessed over seven million pounds of glass. Offering convenient drop-off and pick-up services, the company has become synonymous with accessible recycling solutions. Notably, Glass Half Full repurposes glass into valuable products, including sand crucial for coastal restoration projects. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, wherein the Gulf Coast loses a football field of land every 100 minutes, Glass Half Full has already contributed to four restoration projects in Louisiana, partnering with valued organizations such as The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana and the Pointe au Chien Indian Tribe.

“This capital will fully transform the recycling industry in Louisiana, putting our state on the trajectory to become a leader in sustainability,” said Franziska Trautmann, cofounder and CEO of Glass Half Full, in a press release.  “I am eternally grateful to Gayle Benson and the team at BCP as well as all of the other funders for believing in us.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Glass Half Full to help further the Company’s mission towards sustainability,” said Gayle Benson. “Through our combined dedication to green jobs and coastal restoration, we are excited to propel access to glass recycling for the entire Gulf South region.”

The funding round was led by Benson Capital Partners. Additional support comes from the Meraux Foundation and AMCREF Community Capital.

Empowered by this injection of capital, Glass Half Full is poised to strengthen its footprint in the Greater New Orleans area and venture into new territories such as Jefferson Parish, St. Bernard, Slidell, Mandeville, Covington, and Baton Rouge. Furthermore, recent expansion efforts have extended into Birmingham, AL and Bay St Louis, MS. This strategic expansion highlights the company’s dedication to making recycling services accessible in Southern communities lacking municipal glass recycling programs, while also driving forward crucial coastal restoration initiatives along the Gulf Coast. Several regional launches are scheduled for 2024.

For more information on Glass Half Full recycling, click here. 

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