Driven by the dual-carbon goal, green production and recycling have become important directions for the development of various industries. The glass insulators industry practices the green concept throughout the whole process from the production source to the waste treatment. Through the optimization of energy structure, process upgrading and the construction of recycling system, it gradually builds a circular economy model and reduces the impact of the industry on the environment.​

The green transformation in the production link is first reflected in the optimization of the energy structure. Traditional glass insulators production relies on coal-fired kilns, which consume 1.2 tons of standard coal and emit 3 tons of carbon per ton of product. Today, the industry widely uses solar energy and wind energy for power supply — photovoltaic panels are laid on the roof of the production workshop, and wind power stations are built in supporting facilities. The proportion of clean energy power supply of some enterprises has reached more than 70%, the energy consumption per unit product has decreased by 35%, and carbon emissions have decreased by 40%. At the same time, electric melting kilns replace traditional coal-fired kilns, which not only reduces the emission of waste gases such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides (emissions reduced by more than 90%) but also converts the high-temperature flue gas (above 800℃) emitted by the kiln into hot water or steam through the waste heat recovery system, which is used for workshop heating and raw material preheating. The waste heat utilization rate reaches 60%, further reducing energy consumption.​

Process optimization focuses on "water conservation and waste emission reduction". The raw material cleaning and mold cooling links in glass insulators production need to consume a lot of water resources. The new water-saving process realizes the reuse of water resources through the "circulating water system" — the cleaning wastewater reaches the production water standard after sedimentation, filtration and reverse osmosis treatment, the recycling rate is increased to 95%, and the water consumption per unit product is reduced from the traditional 5m³ to 0.8m³. The waste such as glass scraps and waste molds generated in the production process are recycled and utilized through the classified recycling system: the glass scraps are crushed and ground, and then re-incorporated into the glass formula as raw materials (the dosage can reach 20%); the waste molds (cast iron material) are smelted to make new molds. The comprehensive utilization rate of waste is more than 85%, basically realizing "zero solid waste discharge".​

The recycling of old glass insulators is a key link in building a circular economy. With the transformation and upgrading of power lines, a large number of old glass insulators are facing elimination. If they are discarded at will, it will not only waste resources but also cause environmental burden. The industry has gradually established a recycling system of "classified recycling - testing and evaluation - graded treatment": first, the recycled old insulators are subject to appearance inspection and performance testing (such as insulation resistance testing, mechanical load testing); insulators with performance meeting the standards are cleaned, their fittings are replaced, and then put into use again (such products account for 30% of the recycled quantity); insulators with reduced performance but no damage are disassembled, and their glass bodies are crushed into aggregates, which are used as concrete additives in the construction industry (which can improve the strength and durability of concrete); completely damaged or performance-failed insulators are remelted at high temperature (1600℃) to make new insulators, with a glass recovery rate of more than 90%.​

In addition, the recycling system also focuses on "whole-life cycle traceability" — each batch of glass insulators is given a unique code during production, recording production information, installation location, service life and other data. During recycling, the use status of insulators is quickly understood through the code, providing a basis for testing and evaluation and improving the efficiency of recycling and treatment. At present, this recycling system has been piloted in many regions, with the recovery rate of old glass insulators reaching 65%. It is expected that the recovery rate of old insulators in the whole industry will reach more than 80% by 2030.​

Green production and recycling not only reduce the environmental impact of the glass insulators industry but also save raw material costs for enterprises (the cost of recycled raw materials is 40% lower than that of new raw materials), realizing a "win-win situation of environmental and economic benefits". This development model is becoming a consensus in the industry, promoting the high-quality development of the glass insulators industry towards low-carbon, circular and sustainable directions.