by Brianna Crandall — July 25, 2016 — The North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) has just announced the results of a recent survey of its members’ use of pre- and post-consumer recycled materials in insulation and acoustical products in 2015. The survey includes data from both U.S. and Canadian manufacturing facilities.
According to the survey, U.S. manufacturers used more than 1.7 billion pounds of recycled glass in the production of residential, commercial, and industrial thermal and acoustical insulation — roughly equivalent to the amount of municipal solid waste generated by 1 million people in the United States in a year.
NAIMA Canada members together used 373 million pounds of recycled glass in the production of residential, commercial, industrial, and air handling thermal and acoustical insulation.
U.S. and Canadian facilities used more than 666 million pounds of recycled blast furnace slag in the production of thermal and acoustical insulation. Since the industry’s recycling program began in 1992, NAIMA members’ plants have diverted more than 52 billion pounds of recycled materials from the waste stream.
Curt Rich, president and CEO of NAIMA, commented:
NAIMA members are committed to promoting sustainability by using recycled materials to produce energy-saving insulation products that improve a building’s energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
Fiberglass, rock wool and slag wool insulation are some of the best choices available for insulating residential and commercial buildings as well as mechanical and industrial process systems.
While recycled content is just one indicator of a product’s environmental impact, the survey results illustrate the significant impact that an industry can have through the conscientious use of materials.
For more information about the environmental benefits of fiberglass, rock wool and slag wool, visit the NAIMA Web site.
