Insulation Manufacturers Tout Recycling Success for Products.

According to a survey of its members by the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association, the amount of recycled glass and blast furnace slag used in the manufacture of fiber glass and slag wool insulation last year was almost 2 billion pounds. This brings the total to almost 22 billion pounds since the industry first began an aggressive recycling program more than a decade ago.

Recycled glass used in the manufacture of fiber glass insulation now constitutes the second highest volume of post-consumer glass. Recycled glass melts at lower temperatures than raw materials, allowing manufacturers to use less energy to manufacture fiber glass insulation. Recycled blast furnace slag accounts for about 6 percent of the material that might otherwise end up in landfills

According to the association, fiber glass and slag wool insulations promote sustainable development by lasting the life of a building. 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.

"The increased use of recycled materials is an integral part of our member companies' energy conservation and resource management plans," said Ken Mentzer, president and CEO of NAIMA. "Not only are they improving energy efficiency through the effective use of recycled materials, they are improving energy efficiency across manufacturing, and distribution processes through the use of increasingly sophisticated technology."