Owens Corning, Heritage Environmental Services and Earth911: Recycling Shingles

According to the NAHB Research Center, asphalt shingles constitute nearly two-thirds of the market for new roofs and roof replacements. It is estimated that each year, from 7 to 10 million tons of shingle waste and other installation scrap is generated. But much of that waste can be recycled. The primary use of recycled asphalt shingles is in paving roads.

To take advantage of this recycling potential, Owens Corning has formed a strategic alliance with Earth911 to expand shingle recycling opportunities for contractors and consumers. Earth911 is the host of the largest recycling directory in North America.

Megan Dobransky, in an article on the Earth911 website, quotes Barry Hornbacher, Owens Corning Shingle Recycling Program Leader as pointing out that the composition of asphalt shingles is similar to road pavement and can be used in paving mix. The alliance between Owens Corning and Earth911 provides contractors with a recycling alternative that is cheaper than sending the waste shingles to a landfill. And contractors who take part in the program can make themselves stand out for homeowners who prefer contractors that recycle.

Owens Corning Preferred Contractors can sign a shingle recycling pledge and have access to a list of local recyclers in their area that are on the Earth911 directory. And homeowners who want to find a contractor that recycles shingles can use the Find a Roofing Professional tool on the Owens Corning website. When an Owens Corning Preferred Contractor who has taken the pledge takes off an old roof, the shingles and other debris are contained and shipped to a recycler.

Owens Corning also has a shingle recycling alliance with Heritage Environmental Services. According to Megan Dobransky, through this alliance more than 80,000 tons of asphalt shingles have been recycled since 2009, equivalent to saving 80,000 barrels of oil. Heritage Environmental Services has shingle recycling centers in various parts of the country and is implementing a method for collecting, hauling, and processing tear-off asphalt shingles.

As reported on StreetInsider.com, in 2011 Owens Corning was named for the second year in a row to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for its initiatives in sustainability. In addition to its recycling efforts, Owens Corning manufactures energy-saving EcoTouch insulation, which is certified to have a minimum of 50 percent recycled content. The company's glass fiber reinforcements are used to reduce the weight of vehicle components to improve fuel efficiency, increase the durability of infrastructure, and to manufacture wind turbines to provide renewable energy. As expressed by Frank O'Brien-Bernini, Chief Sustainability Office, Owens Corning is committed to balancing economic growth with social progress and environmental stewardship.

Sources:

Asphalt Shingle Recycling, Heritage Environmental Services

Find a Roofing Professional, Owens Corning

From Roofs to Roads, NAHB Research Center

Megan Dobransky, Recycling Mystery: Shingles, Earth911

Owens Corning Again Named to Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, StreetInsider.com

Owens Corning Forms Alliance with Earth911 to Expand Footprint of Nation's Leading Shingle Recycling Program, Owens Corning

Owens Corning Shingle Recycling Pledge, Owens Corning