Naval shipyards and other domestic port facilities generate thousands of tons of used blast grit annually. There are also thousands of steel bridges in the United States on a repaint schedule that requires grit blasting for surface preparation. All the used grit, along with the paint residue it contains, is currently disposed of in landfills. Cleaning and recycling used blast grit is an attractive alternative. Institute of Gas Technology (IGT) has developed a fluidized-bed sand calciner that is well suited for cleaning and recycling used blast grit. Essentially, IGT researchers applied a transfer/adaptation of fluidized-bed calcination originally developed for the reclamation of foundry sand. The calciner has a patented sloped-grid design that enhances the combustion of paint residues and promotes the isolation of reusable material.