JN Phillips Launches Windshield Recycling Program

JN Phillips Auto Glass, based in Woburn, Mass., has unveiled a program that aims to recycle all the windshields that the company replaces in the Northeastern United States. The windshields have typically been landfilled. Through the program that JN Phillips calls Greenshield, the company has announced that it is committed to recycling 100 percent of the windshields it replaces. In a release, JN Phillips says that Greenshield is the first large-scale effort by any retailer/installer to recycle and reduce the impact of consumer windshields at the end of their useful lives.

JN Phillips estimates that roughly 15 million windshields are replaced each year. However, the company says that until recently it has been difficult to recycle the glass due to due to technical difficulties related to separating the glass and plastic that make up today's windshields, logistics barriers and a lack of facilities capable of recycling the material.

"Greenshield is our commitment to the environment. And, while it requires some extra effort and care, we believe it's worth the investment," says Bob Rosenfield, president of JN Phillips. "Customers have been asking about windshield recycling for some time, and we are very pleased to be able to offer a solution. It's the right thing to do for the environment and our business. We are pleased by the initial reception from the insurance industry and look forward to working with others in the windshield replacement process to help keep as much glass and plastic as possible out of landfills."

Through Greenshield, when windshields are removed, they are collected at JN Phillips locations throughout New England. The material is sent to a central location and bulk-shipped to one of the company’s recycling partners for processing. The windshields are pulverized and sent through a special process to separate the glass from the plastic material and polyvinyl butyral. Upon final processing, the PVB plastic can be used in various industrial adhesive applications. The glass cullet is then used in a number of applications.

JN Phillips has 40 locations and a fleet of more than 140 mobile service vans. The company provides services throughout the New England area.