Merit Abrasives
Merit Abrasives
North America
About Us
Saint-Gobain Green Initiatives

Saint-Gobain Abrasives aims to be a global steward of sustainable development.  We recognize the importance of protecting the environment in the communities we live and work and encourage all employees to act accordingly to improve the carbon footprint. All of our facilities actively engage in recycling and ISO programs and have won numerous awards, including the 1998 American Eagle Award from the ASMMA for the best recycling program among national manufacturers. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also awarded Saint-Gobain with the 2009 Energy Star Partner of the Year Award. The pending implementation of a new program, Green Tag, will further develop our evaluation of policies, procedures and improvements in our operations, through products, purchasing and production. How we present our corporate identity and our ongoing actions of eco-consciousness sends a strong message on our commitment to safe practices and the dependability of our brands.

Energy Star Partner of the Year

Saint-Gobain has been recognized with the Energy Star 2009 Partner of the Year by the U.S. EPA for accomplishments and leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency.

ISO Certifications and Quality Statement

All Saint-Gobain manufacturing locations in North America are either finished or completing ISO certification. Additionally, we are ISO 14001 certified in our Plattsville facility in recognition of the site’s environmental management system (EMS).

FSC Certified Products

Saint-Gobain utilizes FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) paper from well-managed forests, controlled sources and recycled wood or fiber in all stationary and business card products as well as many of our printed materials.

Recycling at Norton

At Norton, we've been getting serious about recycling since 1988, and it pays off. Click on “Recycling at Norton” to see the list of some of the items we recycle, how recycling can save you money, and the awards we’ve won.

Document Center

Being “green” also applies to how we market and advertise our products. Our objective is to move from printed literature to electronic formats so we reduce the number of sheets of paper consumed annually and make the information more quickly available on our web sites while eliminating obsolescence waste hitting landfills.

Packaging

Saint-Gobain’s Norton brand of abrasives products sold into retail are packaged with 100% recycled materials containing 25% post consumer waste. In addition, we have eliminated board waste in designing structures that don't require a full wrap of package.

Eco-Options

From product design and manufacturability, we continually explore many ways for improving our portfolio to include greener options. From dust extraction and reusable sanding sponges to chemical-free cleaning pads and cloths, we’re just getting started.