AGC Glass Europe Float Glass Products Achieve Cradle to Cradle Certified Silver Status
San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) November 18, 2016 -- The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute has awarded Cradle to Cradle Certified Silver to AGC Glass Europe’s (AGC) Float Glass products following the company’s successful re-certification process, which included significant efforts to offset greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the product manufacturing process. AGC’s Float Glass is one of many AGC’s ranges to achieve recertification.
These efforts were spurred in part by AGC Glass Europe’s commitment to continuous product improvement based upon the Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Program, a guidance-system for assessing and continually improving products based upon five sustainability characteristics: material health, material reuse, renewable energy, water stewardship and social fairness.
Re-certifying AGC Glass Europe’s Float Glass product meant the company had to meet significantly more stringent requirements of the updated Cradle to Cradle Certified product standard (version 3.1). Offsetting GHG emissions generated during glass production posed a particular challenge for AGC due to the energy intensive nature of the manufacturing process.
“The company ultimately met the challenge, by investing in the sequestration of more than 60,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalents via voluntary carbon offsets.” said Guy Van Marcke, AGC Director of Sustainability and Product Stewardship. “The recertification of our product ranges under the version 3.1 of Cradle to Cradle certification has been a challenging process. To reach some new or updated requirements of the version 3.1, we really had to work in close relationship with our suppliers.”
“The Cradle to Cradle Certified product standard has proved to be a valuable framework for this type of continuous improvement to our products and processes, and the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute has been an important partner in helping us achieve such significant impact reductions,” Van Marcke stated.
“Recertifying AGC Float Glass at the Cradle to Cradle Silver level under version three of the Cradle to Cradle product standard was an arduous task,” said Matteo Kausch, Director of Technical Development for the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. “To date, no other company with such an energy-intensive, high-emission manufacturing process has achieved this status for any of its products. We are proud to have supported AGC on the path to a more positive product – and production process.”
AGC’s achievement comes as part of its commitment to innovating and producing environmentally responsible products that reflect Cradle to Cradle principles. The company has also achieved Cradle to Cradle Certified status for many of its other products, including Magnetron Coated Glass at the Silver level, Stratobel and Stratophone laminated glass at the Bronze level, and decorative glass (mirrors, painted glass, painted acid-etched glass and acid-etched glass) at the Bronze level.
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AGC Glass Europe, a European leader in flat glass
Based in Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium), AGC Glass Europe produces, processes and markets flat glass for the construction industry (external glazing and interior decoration), car manufacture and solar power applications. It is the European branch of AGC, the world’s leading producer of flat glass. It has over 100 sites throughout Europe, from Spain to Russia, and employs around 16,000 employees. For more information about AGC’s sustainability commitment, visit the company environment report at agc-glass.eu.
About the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute
The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute is a non-profit organization whose mission is to turn the making of things into a positive force for people, the economy, and the planet. It administers the Cradle to Cradle CertifiedTM Product Program, a guidance system for assessing and continually improving products based upon five sustainability characteristics: material health, material reuse, renewable energy, water stewardship and social fairness. The Institute is headquartered in San Francisco and Amsterdam, NL. For more information, visit C2CCertified.org or follow @C2CCertified on Twitter and Instagram.
Emma Williams, Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, http://www.c2ccertified.org, +1 4236531095, [email protected]
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