Meet the World’s Only Certified Environmentally-Friendly Fire-Rated Glass-Ceramic: PYRAN^® Platinum

SCHOTT PYRAN^® Platinum fire-rated glass-ceramic is
environmentally friendly. PYRAN^® Platinum has been Cradle to
Cradle (C2C) Certified^CM-Silver by McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC). Cradle to Cradle^® Certification is a rigorous eco-label that evaluates the impacts of a product and its manufacturing process throughout its lifecycle, including recyclability and toxicity to human and environmental health.

PYRAN^® Platinum fire-rated glass-ceramic contributes to LEED certification for building projects. LEED is an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System. LEED is the certification and measuring process of a building by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). It is the evaluation of a project based on various criteria or credits. A project is given a rating based on points ranging from 1 to 100; LEED Certified is 40 to 49 points, LEED Silver is 50 to 59 points, LEED Gold is 60 to 79 and LEED Platinum is 80 and above.
Because PYRAN^® Platinum fire-rated glass-ceramics are Cradle to Cradle Certified they qualify for a special credit in the LEED certification process. The Innovation in Design Credit in any LEED Rating System can be earned if 2.5 - 5 % of the building materials budget is used on Cradle to Cradle Certified products. Furthermore, C2C Certified^CM products qualify for LEED points as Environmentally Preferable Materials (MR 2.2) in the LEED for Homes Rating System.

C2C Certification also qualifies products to be listed in the U.S. EPA’s Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) database. Federal agencies are directed by executive orders to make purchasing decisions with the environment in mind, and the EPP database is a tool used to facilitate the purchase of products and services with reduced environmental impacts.
Environmentally preferable products are those that have a “lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products that serve the same purpose.” No other glass-ceramic on the market meets these requirements.

PYRAN^® Platinum glass-ceramic is produced at SCHOTT Technical Glass Solutions, GmbH (SCHOTT TGS) in Jena, Germany. SCHOTT TGS cares for the environment as is demonstrated in the manufacture and distribution of PYRAN^® Platinum fire-rated glass-ceramic. Highlights of our commitment to the environment concerning energy and water are as follows:

1. Energy

Renewable Energy

• SCHOTT TGS purchases approximately 20 % renewable electricity, sourced from wind, biomass, hydroelectric, solar and biogas.
  
• SCHOTT TGS operates solar panels onsite, which feed the electric grid, and SCHOTT continues to develop photovoltaic technology.
  
• Between the energy generated onsite and the renewable electric energy purchased, 5.77% of PYRAN^® Platinum’s energy is renewable.

Energy Conservation

• The composition and production methods used to manufacture PYRAN^® Platinum glass-ceramic are optimized to prevent energy-intensive post-processing. For example, the micro-float process used to form the glass results in a smooth texture-free surface that does not require polishing.
  
• SCHOTT TGS employees practice energy conservation daily, for example by turning off lights and electric devices when not in use.
  
• Self-audits of manufacturing areas at SCHOTT TGS are done every three months to identify areas for improvement, including energy and water conservation opportunities

2. Water

Water Balance

• Water usage at the production facility is monitored.
  
• Water and wastewater streams are characterized. SCHOTT TGS meets or exceeds all applicable water usage and discharge laws.
  
  

Water Conservation

• SCHOTT TGS in Jena has a special permit allowing the manufacturing site to pump gray water from the nearby river. Gray water is used instead of freshwater when feasible. Gray water represents more than 90 % of the water used in manufacturing, including social/sanitation water in the manufacturing and office buildings of support staff for PYRAN^® Platinum glass-ceramic
  
• All of the process water used in the manufacturing process is recycled. Only evaporative losses are replaced. Recirculation loops are used at the cooling tower, cullet cooling, melt tank, and glass washing.
  
• All of the buildings onsite use low-flow toilets and fixtures. Tankless (on-demand) water heaters are installed in office kitchen areas. Automatic dishwashers run only when full.
  
• Landscaping at SCHOTT’s facility in Jena does not include lawns or gardens requiring supplemental watering. Indoor houseplants with minimal water needs are used instead.
  
• All of the wastewater from the facility is discharged to the local wastewater treatment plant. This plant produces biogas.

PYRAN^® Platinum glass-ceramic is produced at SCHOTT Technical Glass Solutions GmbH (SCHOTT TGS) in Jena, Germany. SCHOTT TGS cares for the environment in manufacturing and distributing PYRAN^® Platinum. Highlights of our commitment to the environment regarding materials, recyclability and social responsibility are as follows:

Raw Materials

• All incoming raw materials must meet strict tolerances for contamination
• The handling and processing of raw materials in the batch house are engineered such that worker exposure is extremely limited
• PYRAN^® Platinum glass-ceramic is manufactured without hazardous heavy metals antimony or arsenic, which are normally used as refining agents. We are not contributing to the mining, transportation and continued demand of these toxic heavy metals.

Recyclability

• In our PYRAN^® Platinum glass-cermic production facility, SCHOTT TGS in Jena, Germany, we currently recycle all of our internal cut-off and scrap material as cullet in our glass melts. The melt tank uses 40 to 50 % cullet.
  
• SCHOTT is committed to the conservation of natural resources and to reducing the amount of glass waste in landfills. Recycling glass-ceramic is not as simple as recycling consumer glass products due to the high heat input required for remelting. Therefore no public programs exist for local recycling of glass-ceramic in the United States. To minimize the amount of glass-ceramic in landfills in North America, SCHOTT launched a recycling program in summer 2010 to take back drops and unused material from our North American warehouse and from all PYRAN^® glass-ceramic fabricators in North America to be re-used as cullet in the manufacturing process.
  
• PYRAN^® Platinum is permanently labeled and recyclable at the end of the product life.

With regard to safety and environmental protection, SCHOTT accepts the challenges involved in protecting the environment, and actively contributes to solving the problems this poses. It intends to be a model of environmental protection and practices an open information policy towards its employees, its market partners, the authorities, and the general public. The economic benefits of our actions are not to be achieved at the expense of personal safety and environmental protection. The stipulations contained in laws and directives are considered to be minimum requirements.

Assuming responsibility for our employees and our company has always been part of the SCHOTT corporate culture. That is why safety and environmental protection are high-priority goals for SCHOTT. This not only applies to the development of environmentally compatible products and manufacturing processes, but also to the conscientious handling of resources and the safe operation of our facilities.

Each and every SCHOTT employee is called upon to personally contribute to the permanent improvement of safety and environmental protection.

The SCHOTT Code of Conduct, introduced in March 2010, specifies binding rules of behavior for day-to day business practices. These rules of conduct reflect our company’s values. Respecting human rights and equal opportunity, protecting the environment and our employees, taking a clear position in the fight against discrimination and corruption, as well as strict adherence to the rules of fair competition are the main elements.