Different kind of recycler

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess, KNS/2012

photos by AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENTINEL A vanity top produced by Virtuous Products Inc., made of Sedonite on Saturday, June 23, 2012. Sedonite consists of crushed recycled glass and a proprietary bonding agent that is activated with water, the material can then be cast like concrete.

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess, KNS/2012

Mark Wasserman, president of Virtuous Products Inc., with a table made of Sedonite;

A Knoxville company has developed a proprietary material made from recycled glass that can be used for flooring, countertops and casual outdoor furniture.

Virtuous Products Inc. is the exclusive producer of Sedonite, named for the colorful "Painted Desert" around Sedona, Ariz. where the company was founded in 1999.

Founder Mark Wassenaar recently won the "What's the Big Idea" business plan competition sponsored by The Development Corp. of Knox County, Knoxville Chamber and Tech 2020.

Sedonite is made from crushed recycled glass bonded with a unique glue-like material that can be cast like concrete.

Unlike concrete, which can take several weeks to completely dry, Sedonite can be poured into a mold and removed within a few hours, according to Wassenaar. The water-based binding agent is easier to work with and less expensive than epoxy resins, he said.

"Lowering the production cost has allowed us to offset the increasing price of fuel. We can now afford to ship our products," he said.

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Different kind of recycler