| VitroPlus is the first national network to recycle windshields |
In March 25, 2009, VitroPlus became a leader in an environ-mentally responsible innovation in becoming the first national auto glass network to initiate a windshield recycling program. This initiative started with a two month trial period. In spite of the limited resources that we have in Canada to recycle windshields, VitroPlus persisted to finally establish an effective system that ensures today the permanence of its program of recycling throughout Canada. |
| Some statistics... |
Every year some 1,2 million windshield are replaced and thrown into landfills. Imagine! These windshields represent 14 times the superficy of the Montreal Island. It is estimated that nearly 17,418 tons of automobile glass could be reintroduced into the consumption cycle and thus avoid landfills. |
| Why recycling a windshield is more complexe than simply recycling glass? |
The windshield is composed of two layers of glass separated by a plastic film from PVB (butyral polyvinyl). In the event of breakage, the pieces of glass remain stuck to the plastic film to limit the risks of cuts or wounds. To recycle glass of a windshield, it is necessary to remove the plastic film from the glass. Year-to-date, the available resources to recycle the windshields are very limited and also very expensive. |
What do we do with the recycled windshields? |
Glass is composed of 70% of siliceous sand and has the property to be recycled endlessly. After it is recovered, it is crushed in grin-ders and then filtered to make cullet of it. Using this cullet reduces the energy needed to produce glass by about 25%. The VitroPlus windshield recycling program allows to manufacture containers of glass and fiberglass besides reducing the amount of raw material required. Under no circumstances, it is used to manufacture recycled windshields. |
