Dust Emissions Data
NOTICE OF IMPERSONATION:Recently a Twitter account has been opened that impersonates Norlite. The impersonating account is: @NorliteAgg. We are working to have this fake account removed from Twitter. Norlite’s own and official Twitter account is @NorliteOfficial.
Norlite: Working For a Better Future
Since 1956, Norlite’s mission has been driven to develop reliable, safe and sustainable aggregate solutions for the construction industry, while promoting the circular economy for the benefit of current and future generations.
WHAT WE DO
Norlite produces a lightweight aggregate material that is used in a variety of construction projects. The unique properties of Norlite’s aggregate contribute to making buildings safer, more environmentally friendly and more energy-efficient. As a result, many construction projects that use our product are able to achieve LEED certification as green buildings.
Our manufacturing process begins with raw material sourced from the shale quarry located on our property, minimizing transportation emissions. The shale is processed in two high-temperature kilns that heat and expand the shale to deliver a structurally strong, physically stable, durable, environmentally inert, light-in-weight and highly insulative material. In direct contribution to the circular economy, our kilns are powered with energy recovered from waste to reduce the use of fossil fuels, under strict state and federal rules. Our activity is made possible by our specially-trained staff, scientific research, continuously evolving technologies, and stringent safety and compliance standards.
Learn more about our products here.
POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT
Our processes have been designed to operate in the most environmentally-friendly way possible, as we are deeply committed to providing sustainable solutions to our customers. Norlite is unique in the marketplace for embracing the circular economy: we use waste generated by other manufacturing industries as a source of fuel in our production process to create lightweight aggregate.
The circularity of our process has a double-sided positive impact on the environment. On one side, powering our kilns with waste helps us avoid the use of coal in our manufacturing process, which is the most common source of fuel in the industry and one of the major contributors to carbon emissions in the country. Through this practice, we reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of our operation, contributing locally to the fight against climate change. On the other side, Norlite makes it possible for the waste of other companies to be used to make another product, instead of being landfilled or destroyed without further use.
All of our operations are conducted under close supervision by environmental regulatory authorities. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. EPA have granted Norlite permits that allow us to accept waste but strictly limit what can be processed at our facility.
Learn more about our environmental impact here.
CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY
At Norlite, having a positive impact on the environment is as important as contributing to the communities in which we operate. Our people are our best asset to accomplish both goals.
Locally in Cohoes, we employ 70 heroes who provide an essential environmental service to our customers and make a product that makes buildings safer, more environmentally friendly, and more energy-efficient. Because we provide an essential service, our employees worked throughout the entirety of the pandemic. Many of our employees have been sharing their passion for what they do from generation to generation, as we have third-generation Norlite employees. For years, Norlite has been collaborating with labor unions and offering broad employment opportunities, as well as training, development, and career paths.
Our team gets involved in supporting our future, not only by taking care of the environment, but also by supporting the development of local youths through education and sports. For 2 years in a row, we have partnered with local school districts’ Board Of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) hosting a secondary school teacher and providing an opportunity for enhanced learning in the classroom. In the sports field, Norlite is a proud sponsor of the Cohoes Intermediate Baseball League and the Pop Warner Cohoes program, joining their missions and supporting their continuity in the local community.
Learn more about Norlite in the community here.
To learn more details about our commercial products and projects, please visit our commercial website at www.norliteagg.com.