Beyond Energy Conservation

All of Cardinal’s float glass manufacturing activities meet or exceed Federal EPA emission standards.  When operating at full capacity, Cardinal’s latest plant in Winlock, Washington will have the lowest total emissions per ton of glass shipped of any conventional float glass plant in the world.

We are also a glass industry leader in controlling and reducing waste.

• Captured emission particulates and chemicals from our float glass facilities re-enter the raw material stream eliminating the need to dispose of these wastes while at the same time improving the quality of the new glass produced.
• Cardinal conducts an aggressive cullet (broken glass) recycling program with its customers.  This glass is returned, re-melted and formed into pristine product.  Each year this program prevents more than 150,000 tons of broken glass from being discarded.
• Corrugated packaging material is reused numerous times and recycled at the end of its useful life.  Additionally, all plastic stretch wrap materials are bundled and recycled from all Cardinal plants.

• Throughout the entire Cardinal system, steel reusable racks and glass packs are used for the most efficient and effective packaging and transportation systems.  The use of reusable steel racks alone saves the construction and disposal of more than 500,000 wooden boxes per year.

Cardinal’s roots are in energy-conserving glass products for windows and doors.  Today, Cardinal’s annual output of high performance, energy-conserving products prevents the need for construction of three and one-half new coal fired power plants each year.

With widespread usage of our next generation LoĒ³ (low-e cubed) products, Cardinal’s total integrated “greenhouse” gas emissions will be neutralized within less than twelve months. This neutralization process is possible through the annual savings by window consumers.  Best of all, the reduced gas emissions and annual energy savings will continue for years to come.

Energy-conserving products can help erase our own carbon footprint.  Therefore, all states should adopt an energy-conserving building code requiring at least second generation LoĒ² glass in all residential windows and patio doors.  This equates to a solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) <0.40 in the South and a U-value of <0.35 in the North.  No exceptions.  No substitutions. 

For more information on resources and notes, please see page 5 of the PDF Brochure.