Loading...

The Waste Biz: Shingle Recycling An Option For Roofing Contractors

recycle those old shingles

recycle those old shingles

If I had to come up with a few images that I associate with roof work, I’d toss out stacks of new shingles, ladders, and a dumpster: don’t think I’ve ever seen a roofing job that involved anything other than sending old shingles to the landfill. According to Earth 911, all of that roof work adds up: “Up to 10 million shingles are torn off homes and buildings every year.”

Most of those shingles go into a dumpster that’s taken to the landfill, but building supplies manufacturer Owens Corning has run a shingle recycling program since 2009. And in addition to promoting contractors that take the programs shingle recycling pledge, the company also offers homeowners the option of doing the same. Take a look at the whole process:

Is this primarily about business and marketing? Definitely… but it’s also about reusing material rather than trashing it,Β so we think of that as good business!

Got more insight into the process of shingle recycling? Know of other upsides – or downsides – to encourage this practice among roofing contractors? Tell us about them…

Also from the waste space:

Radioactive coal ash: Another knock against the waste produced by burning coal – scientists at Duke University has “revealed the presence of radioactive contaminants in coal ash from all three major U.S. coal-producing basins.” People chanting “not in my backyard” to coal ash dumps now have another strong piece of evidence…

The latest trends in the waste biz: Waste Dive’s list of 10 trends “defining” the waste industry at the point shows that environmental concerns play a strong role in either reducing waste or diverting it to various forms of reuse and recycling. From zero waste to food waste, the costs of what we throw away seems to have come front and center…

Photo credit: Shutterstock

4 comments
Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *