The US recycles less glass than other countries due mainly to government policies, lower consumer engagement, and cost. Successful glass recycling facilities are often co-located with bottle manufacturers that recycle old glass into new. However, many communities, particularly those in rural areas and along the coast, lack this infrastructure. Furthermore, recycled glass sand has many potential benefits over natural sand for many applications; for example, it can be made coarser, does not compact as much, and is more resistant to erosion, making it an excellent – and underutilized – material for coastal protection and
restoration. This talk will summarize key research findings from the ReCoast Team on the material properties, ecological safety, and efficacy of recycled glass sand for restoration along the Gulf Coast in both marsh and beach dune environments. Finally, perspectives on how recycled glass sand can complement dredge material in restoring marsh habitat will be shared based on lessons learned from monitoring multiple types of demonstration projects that utilized recycled glass sand, including blow-out repair, marsh creation, and erosion control projects. *Funding: NSF Convergence Accelerator Program, 2137730, 2230769.