Using what it refers to as an integrated approach towards environmental productivity improvements, Owens Corning has re-invented its manufacturing process and product composition in order to meet current applicable limits as well as anticipate future ones derived from benchmark levels associated with IPPC best available techniques.

The result is reductions of up to 90percent in emissions associated with the plant's manufacture of the company's Advantex continuous filament glass fibre (CFG) product brand.
"Owens Corning's initiative to eliminate and/or reduce emissions associated with manufacturing is simply the right thing to do to support sustainable growth," said Freddy Dethier, environmental health and safety leader for its composites business in Europe and Asia.
This integrated approach, now fully implemented in the Belgian Battice facility, has set what may well be a CFG industry benchmark by achieving substantial reductions in emissions during the CFG manufacturing process.
Rather than adopting traditional end-of-pipe techniques, which often transfer part of the emissions to another environmental media, Owens Corning has developed its novel integrated approach to eliminate emissions that incorporates new CFG composition and advanced melting technologies. To date, this innovative approach has resulted in:
v An up to 90percent reduction in fluoride emissions by creating a CFG glass composition for Advantex that does not require added fluorides.
v A more than 85percent reduction in particulates through the removal of boron oxide from the Advantex composition.
v An 80 per cent reduction in nitrogen oxides by adopting advanced combustion techniques that combine oxygen/gas firing with electric boosting.
v A 20percent increase in overall energy efficiency during the manufacturing process, directly reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
The Battice facility has also implemented technological upgrades for wastewater treatment and recycling (ultra-filtration), resulting in a more than 50percent reduction of water consumption and about 80percent reduction of its wastewater pollutant load.
The environmentally friendly Advantex glass composition still allows the glass to meet both the properties of E-glass for general-purpose applications, as well as the properties of E-CR glass for corrosion-resistant applications.
"While challenging to implement and requiring great effort to resolve technical issues and adapt equipment, the integrated approach has now become the obvious blueprint for Owens Corning to follow," said Dethier. "Today, we are very pleased to have successfully implemented this technology in all European manufacturing sites and are continuing its implementation in other regions. This approach has positioned Owens Corning on the path of sustainable growth, giving us both increased production and reduced environmental impact."
"Sustainable manufacture is a key issue for all business," added Raymund Trost, Owens Corning vice-president and general manager, dry used chopped strands, "and the commitment that we have demonstrated to the process at our Battice plant will significantly benefit our customers in meeting their own future business needs, as well as regulatory requirements. Customers can be confident that our products will contribute positively to them achieving and maintaining their own sustainability targets."

The Battice facility primarily manufactures Advantex glass fibre chopped strands for thermoplastic reinforcement. Now in their seventh year in the market, Advantex fibres have exceeded all projected benefits, and conversion to the glass formula at the company's reinforcement plants now exceeds 70percent of total capacity. Introduced in January 1997, Advantex glass was developed as a boron-free E-glass possessing improved resistance to corrosion. Advantex glass meets the ASTMD578 standard for both corrosion-resistant E-CR glass and traditional E-glass. Advantex glass uses a common technology platform that enables customers to specify the same product anywhere in the world. As a result, Owens Corning expects to convert all of its glass reinforcement production to the Advantex glass platform.