Here at Glass America, helping to protect the environment is very important to us. We always try to utilize best practices to preserve Mother Nature however we can. One way we’ve begun to do this is by recycling broken auto glass so that it doesn’t end up in a landfill, negatively affecting our environment.
We are in the early stages of testing various recycling programs to determine the best one for us and our customers. Our current focus is on testing recycling in our Murfreesboro, TN location. We also work with suppliers who have facilities that recycle in OH and AZ. Another step Glass America has taken is testing and evaluating the use of EV vehicles to reduce our carbon footprint.
We are working with our vendors to come up with solutions to recycle in other markets, as expanding our recycling program is a top priority for us. Glass America always recommends a windshield replacement over a repair for the safety of the driver. Our hope is the implementation of a windshield recycling program will ease the minds of customers who are hesitant to replace their windshields due to the fear of them ending up in a landfill.
Another reason why we are so passionate about expanding our recycling program is due to the negative effects of glass manufacturing on our environment. Glass manufacturing is a high-temperature, energy-intensive activity, resulting in the emission of combustion by-products (sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxides) and the high-temperature oxidation of atmospheric nitrogen, according to Environmental, Health, and Safety Guidelines for Glass Manufacturing, World Bank Group.
According to The Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, producing one ton of glass takes 15.2 million BTUs of energy. The manufacturing of one ton of glass can generate as much as 385 pounds of mining waste and 28 pounds of air pollutants - all of this has adverse effects on our environment.
The good news is, although our recycling program is in the early stages, moving it into our national markets is of the utmost importance to us. The more that we all participate in reducing the use of raw materials and the energy needed to produce glass, the better off our environment will be.