Leaders of Saint-Gobain Glass have assigned Lee Glover to the role of net zero and sustainability manager. The move has further demonstrated the firm’s commitment to achieving net zero by 2050, according to Saint-Gobain’s representatives.
One of Lee’s first achievements has been to take delivery of 17 tonnes of post-consumer glass that was transported by electric vehicle. The zero-emissions Euroliner Curtainsider vehicle received 26 bags of crushed glass, also known as cullet, from Safestyle UK’s premises in Barnsley.
The glass came from window replacement projects, and is set to be recycled and used in the manufacture of new flat glass at Saint-Gobain Glass’s furnace in Eggborough. It is then to be reused in residential and commercial projects across the UK.
Lee joined Saint-Gobain four years ago as batch plant and cullet recycling manager. He said: “My new role demonstrates our commitment to be carbon neutral by 2050, which is rooted in a long history of reducing our environmental impact not only in how we operate as a business but also in the performance of the innovative products we manufacture.
“The use of electric delivery vehicles is another step in our journey. Last year we added two HVO vehicles to our fleet, which run on hydrotreated vegetable oil.
“Also, at The Fit Show we showcased our mobile glass crushing machine, built inside a recycled shipping container, which can be taken to large building refurbishment projects. Old glass can be crushed into cullet on site before being transported back to our factory and made into new, high-performance glass.”
Using more cullet in the manufacture of flat glass means there is no impact on the quality of the new glass, and there are several environmental benefits, including that fewer raw materials are required, and the furnace can be set at a lower temperature. The aim is to include 50% of cullet in the manufacturing process by 2025.
