Our 2020 Goals
Our comprehensive 2012 environmental footprint goals, set from a 2002 baseline, have been one of the most effective tactics inside our sustainability strategy. These goals energized our people, created real action, resourced high-impact initiatives and delivered measured results. Three of the seven goals were accomplished ahead of schedule and six of the seven are on track for meeting the 2012 targets.
Having also become wiser through this experience, and taking a fresh look at our environmental footprint along with how we can have impact beyond gate-to-gate manufacturing operations, Owens Corning has set new goals and will focus on our environmental footprint, product sustainability and sustainability in the supply chain. Simply stated, this means continually working toward an injury-free workplace, striving to eliminate waste from our business, constantly seeking ways to minimize our environmental footprint and eliminating non-conformities.
2020 Environmental Footprint Goals
The new footprint goals stretch forward to 2020 and use 2010 as the baseline. Achieving zero waste-to-landfill is a new long-term goal and underscores our commitment to this area of our footprint reduction. As before, energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption remain priorities. We’re making a shift from particulate matter to fine particulate matter and toxic air emissions will replace the prior focus areas of Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) and Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions. This shift in focus for air emissions acknowledges our past successes and our concern for pollutants that carry greater air quality concerns.
Each environmental footprint goal is detailed in the following paragraphs and is based on intensity measurements.
Waste-to- Landfill: Zero waste-to-landfill; 70 percent intensity reduction by 2020
Owens Corning has established a long-term goal of zero waste-to-landfill. This includes all types of solid wastes going to landfill for disposal. This goal can be met through a combination of methods including prevention, reuse, recycling, transformation of waste to energy processes and other management techniques that result in beneficial uses.
We selected an interim goal of 70 percent intensity reduction by 2020, with the date for achieving zero waste-to-landfill to be formally selected in the future.
Energy: 20 percent intensity reduction
This includes direct energy from the on-site use of fuels, such as natural gas, as well as indirect energy from supplied electrical power.
Greenhouse Gases (GHG): 20 percent intensity reduction
GHGs are defined as gases which contribute to the greenhouse effect, including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and HCFCs. They also include emissions from electrical energy use.
Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5): 15 percent intensity reduction
Given the growing interest of environmental and public health experts in achieving greater progress in reducing fine particulate matter referred to as PM2.5 (particulate matter with a particle diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less), we are shifting our focus from total PM to the more important PM2.5 by establishing a voluntary emission intensity reduction goal of 15 percent for PM2.5 to be met by 2020.
Toxic Air Emissions (TAE): 50 percent intensity reduction
This goal is a combined reduction with equal weighting for the five top constituents chosen, which are hexavalent chromium, formaldehyde, manganese, polycyclic aromatic compounds and ammonia. These constituents were determined from a hazard screening of all hazardous air constituents reported by Owens Corning facilities in public right-to-know reporting regulations.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Risk Screening Environmental Indicator method was used to determine the ranking for all reported constituents
- Hexavalent chromium is produced when chromium, released in small amounts over time from chrome bearing refractories used to build glass melting furnaces, is oxidized in high temperature atmospheres.
- Formaldehyde is used primarily as an ingredient in traditional fiberglass insulation manufacturing.
- Manganese is a constituent found in certain glass batch formulations.
- Polycyclic aromatic compounds are a class of constituents found in relatively small quantities in asphalt and are released when processing hot asphalt.
- Ammonia is a gas released from compounds used in making traditional fiberglass insulation and mat products.
Water Consumption: 35 percent intensity reduction
This leading indicator of our water management program includes all sources of water used by each facility, including municipal supply, ground water, surface water and rain water. Reductions will be emphasized in water stressed areas.
2020 Footprint Goals
Sustainability of Products
A key part of Owens Corning’s sustainability strategy is “Greening Our Products” and the use of Life Cycle Assessment is employed to enable the estimation of cumulative environmental impacts resulting from all stages in the product life – from raw material extraction and manufacturing to use and ultimate disposal or reuse.
We will make transparent the total life cycle assessment of all core products by 2015. We will also:
- Implement continuous and measurable improvements on those impacts
- And create the pipeline and increased value through sustainability in the innovation process.
Supply Chain Sustainability
Owens Corning will engage in strategic partnerships that enhance progress in continuous improvement, quality and economic/environmental/social value.
An active supply chain sustainability program will be in place with communication, audits and engagement with all top tier suppliers. The process will include:
- Setting clear expectations for sustainability progress by our suppliers
- Utilizing leading-edge sourcing practices
- Measuring and disclosing supply chain performance
