On May 10, 2011, John Quinn, MSA Safety Works Retail Segment Manager, accepted the 2011 Environmental Packaging of the Year Award by the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) at the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas. 

This was awarded for the MSA Safety Works Espresso^TM Polarized Safety Glasses packaging.  The packaging contains eight percent less plastic and one third less cardstock insert material than standard models of eyewear.  "We're especially proud and humbled to receive this NRHA award, as it represents an industry acknowledgement of our efforts to promote product packaging that makes sense for both MSA retailers and our end users," said Quinn. "Everyone in the retail channel has noticed the recent increase in consumer interest in environmentally-sensitive packaging, but for MSA Safety Works, we've been following this approach for more than a decade. We are proud that most of our product packaging can be reused for product storage, which is an important attribute for safety products and also a great way to help protect the environment."

Unlike the largely non-recyclable PVC plastic found in most blister-type packaging, MSASafety Works' clamshell packages are made of PETE plastic, the most commonly recycled plastic in North America. Additionally, the PETE plastic used in the packaging for Espresso Safety Glasses is made with post-consumer recycled material, yet is still clear enough to properly display the high-end, designer-styled safety glasses inside. What's more, the cardstock insert material inside each Espresso Safety Glasses packaging is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the highest social and environmental standard in the market.

MSA's Espresso Safety Glasses packaging meets the environmental "3 R's" - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. They are made with less material, they are able to be reused for long-term product storage, they are made from post-consumer recycled material, and they are recyclable in most community programs.