Idaho Firm Receives Award for Glass Recycling Process

Sandhill Industries , a Boise, ID-based manufacturer of decorative tile, received the Evergreen Award from the Northwest regional office of the Environmental Protection Agency. The company earned the award for pioneering a new, energy efficient production process that uses recycled glass instead of virgin materials.

Sandhill's process allows the company to use less than one-half of the energy used to make similar products. At the same time the process does not generate any CO2 emissions.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology estimates that the manufacture of portland cement, which is used in most tile products, generates about one pound of CO2 emissions for each pound of cement produced.

Sandhill's tile manufacturing process uses post-industrial recycled glass, traditionally a waste without recycling options in the Pacific Northwest. Over the past 12 months Sandhill used more than 50,000 pounds of recycled glass. Sandhill's outdoor pavers, which will be available for commercial sale beginning in 2003, will use mixed-color, post-consumer glass.

EPA's Evergreen Award recognizes outstanding pollution prevention efforts within all sectors of the greater Pacific Northwest business community.