Rombachs Recycles Everything!

re·cy·cle | \ (ˌ)rē-ˈsī-kəl : to pass again through a series of changes or treatments. : to process in order to regain material for use. : to adapt or alter something to fit a new use.

The idea of recycling is nothing new. These days, most of us do it without even thinking. But do those efforts really have an impact in the glass world?

We all accept that working with glass is an energy-intensive process. Most glass artists are cognizant that their concerns about global climate change are often in direct conflict with their personal levels of energy use. When asked, most artists will express a desire to be less energy intensive, to reduce the size of their carbon footprint, and lessen their impact on the world. But for many, this remains just an item on their wish list, because making a living usually trumps concerns for the climate.

However, in Antwerp, Belgium, one glass artist insists on putting his beliefs foremost, incorporating every aspect of sustainability he can manage. Refusing to play a role in a single-use world, Frederik Rombach made a commitment early in his career to incorporate the mantra of “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” into the very bones of his business. This commitment then drives his daily decisions into studio operations, energy use, materials sourcing, and community impact.

At his studio, Rombach uses only recycled glass bottles for his raw materials. He fostered a connection with a local recycling firm and picks through their mountains of collected bottles -waste glass- taking what he wants for free. In return, Rombach brings in objects created with the materials as a gift. This has resulted in the recycling firm commissioning him to create sets of custom mugs for their employees and clients. Frederik feels that this practice allows him to be an active part of the overall waste stream. It also provides an opportunity to encourage others to recycle and reuse waste glass.

Frederik also incorporates recycled energy, as it were, into his operations. Rombachs Glass is one of the only public glass studios in the entire EU using biogas to provide the heat for the furnace, glory holes, and other hot shop equipment. Biogas—which is simply methane derived from the decomposition of organic materials—is a simple replacement for propane or natural gas. While biogas use is fairly commonplace in many EU countries, it is usually reserved for largescale uses such as transportation and is unavailable to small-scale users like glass artists. Unwilling to accept such limitations, Frederik installed a large gas storage tank behind his studio. He then partnered with the creative hub where the studio is situated to be able to meet the gas company’s quota. Now a delivery truck visits Rombachs Glass on a regular basis, providing all the gas he needs to fire his entire shop using a sustainable energy resource. With an eye to the future, Frederik is looking to create a mobile glassblowing furnace that can be fired using recycled cooking oil, using a specialty waste vegetable oil burner designed by Organic Combustion Systems LLC*. He sees this as an opportunity to incorporate another renewable energy resource into his operations and create a platform by which he can take his message of sustainability out into the community.

Perhaps the most important piece of this sustainable puzzle for Frederik is the human-centered one. Rombach is passionate about helping immigrants who find themselves struggling to fit into a new culture, learn a new language, and find a way to make a living. Frederik knows firsthand how difficult such transitions can be. At the age of 4, Frederik’s family relocated from Belgium to South Africa, necessitating many changes and adjustments. Then at 13 years old, his family relocated back to the EU, once again thrusting Frederik back into an unfamiliar culture filled with a host of different languages. Navigating such difficult changes instilled in Rombach a sense of understanding and compassion towards immigrants. Now, that understanding helps guide Frederik as he uses his glass skills to bring meaningful change to their lives. As he puts it, “Many of these people arrive in Belgium with little to no language skills. So working with glass gives them an opportunity to use another medium with which to express themselves. This allows us them to integrate the richness of all these people into our society.”

While many might not see the connection, Rombach draws a direct line between immigration and climate change. As certain areas of the globe become unlivable due to changing economics and the impact of climate change, people will naturally travel to other locales seeking a new way to make a living. Frederik sees the potential for these immigrants to develop careers as artists with meaningful contributions to the community. For the past four years, Frederik has partnered with several galleries and schools to start setting up a learning program specifically for new immigrants to the country. While they take basic language classes at school, Frederik brings young immigrants into the shop to both teach them glassblowing skills and reinforce their language skills. Rombach Glass typically opens its doors to eight new students each year, coming from places such as Morocco, Syria, Tibet, and Bulgaria. One of the students has progressed to become a part of the studio, hosting her own Paint on Glass workshops. In the end, all of these recycled elements – materials, energy, and people – form a pattern of sustainability that can be adopted by many others in the industry. It’s more than just a story about glass. It’s an opportunity to change the way the world looks at discarded or unwanted things, and to see the beauty that still lives inside them. It’s Frederik’s way of forging a collective path forward and taking as many people along for the journey as possible. Frederik states “[I am] constantly searching for ways to understand how we as humans interact with each other. I have come to realize that glassblowing aids me with this in that I can visualize these interactions in the products I make, and more importantly in the process I follow where I invite people to be a part of the glass forming process.” It’s an idea that needs to be recycled over and over again.

Frederik Rombach is the owner of Rombachs Glass in Antwerp, Belgium. He can be reached at info@rombachs.com. Website : www.rombachs.com Instagram : Frederik_Rombach / Glaswerkt FB : www.facebook.com/RombachsGlas -and- www.facebook.com/glaswerkt