Environmental Data for Window Glass Coming

NSF International has released a product category rule (PCR) for flat glass produced in the U.S. The document builds on efforts to encourage transparency and improve data quality through life-cycle assessments (LCAs) and environmental product declarations (EPDs), as explored in The Product Transparency Movement: Peeking Behind the Corporate Veil.

The PCR for flat glass, which was developed by the Glass Association of North America (GANA) with NSF as the third-party program operator, defines terms and specifies guidelines for calculating impacts from extraction and transport of raw materials, manufacturing, packaging, and waste management. As a “cradle-to-gate” PCR, it does not deal with impacts from transportation, use, or end-of-life issues.

Energy use during manufacturing—typically the largest impact from glass production—must be calculated using recent data on the facility’s local and regional electrical grid. The PCR also requires a sensitivity analysis examining each assumption made and its effect on the LCA.

For more information:

NSF Sustainability

nsf.org