Nearly 2.7 Billion Pounds Of Recycled Glass And Slag Used In Fiber Glass And Slag Wool Insulation In 2005

Industry Commitment to Using Recycled Materials Grows

 

Alexandria, VA (October 23, 2006) – Imagine a football field, including end zones, filled to a depth of almost 620 feet with recycled materials. That is the amount of recycled glass and blast furnace slag that was utilized in 2005 in the manufacture of fiber glass and rock & slag wool insulations according to the annual survey released this week by the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA). The almost 2.7 billion pounds of recycled materials used by the industry in North America last year represents a 20 percent increase over 2004. This amount brings the total to almost 29 billion pounds of recycled materials used since the industry’s recycling program began in 1992. Use of recycled glass was up 18 percent in the United States and slag use was up 25 percent.

NAIMA members play a key role in preserving the environment by using recycled materials in products designed to improve a building’s energy efficiency. Use of recycled materials also contributes to the low embodied energy of fiber glass and mineral wool insulations because it requires less energy to produce these products with a combination of raw and recycled materials than through the use of raw material alone. A typical pound of fiber glass, rock wool or slag wool insulation will save more than 12 times the amount of energy used to produce in the first year alone.

NAIMA members are committed to creating energy-saving insulation materials in ways that minimize environmental impact. From raw materials to finished products, fiber glass and mineral wool insulations are increasing the energy efficiency of buildings and improving the environment. While recycled content is just one indicator of a product’s environmental impact, this survey shows the magnitude of impact that an industry can have through its conscientious use of materials.

To find out more about the environmental benefits of fiber glass and rock and slag wool insulation, visit www.naima.org today.