sain t-gobain annu al report 2008 annual report

espectively (compared with 9.8% and 38.3% in 2007 based
on a comparable scope of consolidation) of glass wool
production at the concerned sites in the Insulation Division,
and 17% and 40% respectively of container glass production
at the concerned sites in the Packaging Sector
(versus 16.8% and 39.2% in 2007 based on a comparable
scope of consolidation). Saint-Gobain Packaging recycles 100%
of the glass it collects worldwide. The Sector is committed
to intensifying its collection efforts to ensure a steady increase
in the percentage of recycled glass used in its furnaces.
Although its quality requirements for cullet are stricter than
those of the Packaging Sector or Insulation Division, the
Innovative Materials Sector - Flat Glass pursues an assertive
policy of recovering cullet generated at its own sites or those
of its customers. Thanks to sorting practices and logistical
solutions now in place – including the installation of cullet
bins, operator training in sorting procedures and deployment
of the necessary logistics – the volume of cullet recovered
externally from processing plants (not all of which are
concerned sites) rose by 3% between 2007 and 2008. Internal
and external cullet accounted for 23.4% and 11.4% respectively
of flat glass production at the concerned sites in the Innovative
Materials Sector - Flat Glass, (compared with 25.8% and 8.1% in
2007 based on a comparable scope of consolidation). A video
designed to educate employees about the importance of
optimal, controlled cullet management was shown at all Flat
Glass sites on International EHS Day 2008.
Cast iron
The Pipe Division uses two melting processes to produce
cast iron: i) primary melting, which produces cast iron
from iron ore in blast furnaces, and ii) secondary melting,
in which cast iron is manufactured from scrap metal
and recovered cast iron. The process used depends
on numerous factors, including the host country’s primary
and secondary raw materials markets. Secondary melting
demands a substantial regional scrap metal market,
which exists in industrialized nations but not in developing
countries such as China. In 2008 the use of primary melting
increased, representing 71.9% of production at concerned sites
(compared with 70% in 2007 based on a comparable scope),
while 47.8% of finished cast iron was produced from recycled
materials at concerned sites (versus 51.4% in 2007 based
on a comparable scope).
Reducing product weight has been a major focus of our
Research and Development efforts for several years now,
since lighter products require smaller quantities of natural
resources, less energy is used during the manufacturing
process as there is less raw material to be smelted, and CO 2
emissions generated by the transportation of raw materials
and finished products are also lower. The cast iron used in the
2005 Natural® pipe range weighs 25% less per linear meter
than that of the 1990 K9 pipe range, as a result of ongoing
enhancements to the centrifuging process and coating
and fitting techniques.
Gypsum
The conversion of gypsum into plaster is an age-old process.
Plaster is very environmentally friendly because it requires
very little energy to be produced and can be recycled
indefinitely. As with cullet, the only limitation on recycling
plaster is the problem of waste sorting.
In 2008, at the concerned sites within the Construction
Products Sector’s Gypsum Division, 25.4% of finished gypsum
was produced from recycled materials. Waste recycling
facilities have been established in several countries. In Austria,
the Ri-cycling program helps to protect the environment while
also reducing costs. Buyers of Rigips-brand plasterboard are
given Ri-cycling bags for collecting site waste, which is then
reintroduced into the production cycle. This type of system
can vary in scope, depending on the country and local demand.
In the United Kingdom, for example, a comprehensive service
is provided that extends from onsite collection to gypsum
reuse and mechanical sorting to separate paper from
other waste components. The service is being coordinated
by a dedicated team at British Gypsum. In France, Placoplatre
has set up a dedicated collection network for plaster waste,
comprising recycling units at its three production sites in
Chambéry, Cognac and Vaujours, 18 partner organizations
that collect plaster waste. The service is projected to save over
1,000 tons of natural resources per month in 2009
and eliminate the need to bury an equivalent volume
of waste at specialized centers.
Lastly, numerous initiatives are underway to recycle other
waste products. For example, the Innovative Materials Sector –
Flat Glass has launched a campaign to expand its stack gas
pollutant recycling program. In Europe, all waste products
generated by stack gas processing are recycled directly into
the glass furnaces themselves wherever they are fitted
with electrostatic precipitators, with the result that no
additional waste is generated. In 2008, at Saint-Gobain Glass
concerned sites, 62.7% of waste generated from stack gas
processing was recycled into furnaces, up from 60.3% in 2007
based on a comparable scope of consolidation. CertainTeed,
a US subsidiary in the Construction Products Sector,
uses manufacturing scrap from Cedar Impressions exterior
siding produced at its McPherson, Kansas, plant to protect
pallet corners (Cobra Corner Guard) at its siding production
plants in Hagerstown, Maryland, and Jackson, Michigan.
The company is exploring the possibility of selling these
new protectors to its customers.
MANAGEMENT REPORT
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Saint-Gobain - 2008 Annual Report