LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Kentucky distillery piloted a new program to benefit the environment.
Maker's Mark reuses glass bottles as part of a Glass to Garden, an initiative that uses pulverized machines to crush glass into a sand-like substance.
According to a news release Friday, Maker's Mark will host tasting events at Kroger and Liquor Barn locations around Louisville and Lexington. Patrons can bring empty glass bottles of any type to watch it be smashed.
"As long as it can fit in our machine, it can be anything: wine bottles, pickle jars, anything like that," said Chris Blanford, adult beverage field specialist at Kroger.
The crushed glass will be donated to nonprofits Louisville Grows and Seedleaf in Lexington.
"We’ve been using the glass crushers at our distillery in Loretto for more than a year now," said Kim Harmon, director of safety and sustainability at Maker’s Mark Distillery. "Now we’re excited to expand this best practice into the community to broaden the environmental benefit and help educate the public on glass recycling and upcycling."
The sand-like substance helps to improve soil.
"The soil at Blackacre as in all Kentucky is pretty clay, the clay soil often needs to be amended with compost and with sand to help make it drain better," said Susan Ballerstedy, garden manager at Black Acre Community Gardens.
Tasting events where glass will be collected include:
| Kroger Wine and Springs | Oct. 20 | Oct. 27 | Nov. 3 | Nov. 10 | Nov. 17 |
| Louisville Prospect, 5929 Timber Ridge Drive | 3- 6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. | 3- 6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. |
| Louisville Middletown, 12501 Shelbyville Road | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. | 3- 6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. |
| Louisville McMahan Plaza, 3039 Breckenridge Lane | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. |
| Louisville Valley Station, 10645 Dixie Highway | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. |
| Shelbyville, 311 Boone Station Road | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. |
| Lexington, 3175 Beaumont Centre Circle | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. |
| Georgetown, 106 Marketplace Circle | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. |
| Versailles, 212 Kroger Way | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. | 3-6 p.m. |
| Liquor Barn | Oct. 22 | Oct. 29 | Nov. 5 | Nov. 12 | Nov. 19 |
| Louisville Middletown, 13401 Shelbyville Road | 2-5 p.m. | 2-5 p.m. | 2-5 p.m. | 2-5 p.m. | 2-5 p.m. |
| Lexington Hamburg, 1837 Plaudit Place | 2-5 p.m. | 2-5 p.m. | 2-5 p.m. | 2-5 p.m. | 2-5 p.m. |
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