Promoting recycling

The three main materials processed by Saint-Gobain–glass, cast iron and gypsum–can are Recycled over and over again. The Group extensively promotes their recycling. This offers a double advantage for the environment as recycling reduces both waste volumes and consumption of raw materials.

At the glass manufacturing sites, each metric ton of cullet used in the melting process avoids255 to 300 kg of CO2 emissions.

GLASS:

In 2008, the percentage of recycled material in most of our glass furnaces was above 35%. The proportion is particularly high for glass wool and container glass. Saint-Gobain Packaging recycles 100% of collected glass and is stepping up collection so as to increase the percentage of recycled glass in its furnaces around the world. In the Flat Glass business, the volume of cullet recovered externally from processing plants rose by 3% between 2007 and 2008 thanks to sorting practices and logistical solutions now in place–including the installation of cullet bins, operator training in sorting procedures and deployment of the necessary systems and equipment.

CAST IRON:

Cast iron can be made from iron ore or from scrap metal and recovered cast iron when a large scrap metal market is located nearby. In 2008, recycled materials went into 47.8% of the metric tons of finished product at concerned sites.

GYPSUM:

The conversion of gypsum into plaster is an age-old process. Plaster is very environmentally friendly because it requires very little energy to be produced and can be recycled indefinitely. Saint-Gobain Gyproc is a pioneer in recycling. In 2008, at the concerned sites within the Gypsum Division, 25.4% of finished gypsum was produced from recycled materials. Waste recycling facilities have been established in several countries. In the United Kingdom, for example, a comprehensive service is provided that spans from on-site collection to gypsum reuse and mechanical sorting to separate paper from other waste components. In southeastern France, Placoplatre® has set up a dedicated collection network for plaster waste among its three production sites in Chambéry, Cognac and Vaujours, with 18 partner organizations that collect plaster waste and recycling workshops. The service is projected to save over 1,000 metric tons of natural resources per month in 2009 and eliminate the need to landfill an equivalent volume of waste.