In 2007, B. R. Amon & Sons, Inc. was the first company in Wisconsin to recycle residential shingles into hot mix asphalt. Tom Amon, in a 2008 interview, estimated that at that time at least ten other states were recycling shingles into asphalt and that more states were going to be doing it.
Missouri was the first state to implement the program, and not all states are onboard yet. For example, in 2012, Alaska, Mississippi, and a few other states did not have shingle-recycling programs in place. Illinois didn’t start their recycling program until late 2011. Check with your state to see if they allow shingle recycling. (See How to Find a Recycler in Your Area at the end of this article.)
Why Recycle Roofing Shingles?
According to Earth911, the average home has two layers of shingles, averaging about five tons. Recycling these five tons of shingles:
- Saves landfill space
- Reduces the amount of new oil needed
- Reduces the amount of new filler products, such as aggregate and binders
- Saves taxpayers money
- Saves homeowners money
Reduce Landfill
One ton of shingles takes up approximately 1 cubic yard of landfill space. Multiply that by the number of reroofing projects each year and it is obvious that it affects our environment.
Recycling shingles from residential buildings reduces landfill in two ways: The shingles are recycled and, usually, the nails are recycled. Amon estimates that in each ton of asphalt shingles, there are 7 pounds of roofing nails.
Source of Important Oil
Oil is a key component in both asphalt and shingles. Reusing the oil in the shingles saves petroleum. For example, using the five tons of shingles from an average house will save about 10 barrels of new oil in an asphalt mix.
Amon reports that a good mix is up to 5% recycled shingles for heavy traffic areas and up to 10% for residential paving and commercial parking lots. He says that in a mix that uses 10% recycled shingles, B. R. Amon & Sons, Inc. saves about 2% of the liquid binder (petroleum oil) cost.
The National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) estimates that if the asphalt content of shingles is 20%, the recycler saves 1.5 million barrels of oil.
Provides Essential Fillers
Pavement contains about 90-95% aggregate. Shingles may contain more than 20% asphalt and the remaining filler is fibers, sand, and aggregate. Studies have found that the fibers actually make the asphalt stronger, but that the small amounts of aggregate in the shingles is significant enough to affect aggregate mining.
Taxpayers Save Money in Several Ways
Many people do not realize the full impact of recycling residential shingles into asphalt. The reduction in our landfill is obvious, but a less obvious landfill saving is the dumping fees. Shingle recycling centers charge a fee, but landfill companies’ fees are higher.
Asphalt containing recycled shingles is somewhat cheaper to produce. It requires less new oil and new aggregate. Typically, companies pass that savings on to the consumer. When the consumer is your state, you save on your taxes.
According to Western Builder, studies have shown that asphalt containing shingle material is more durable than “virgin” asphalt, which does not contain recycled material. Blended asphalt resists rutting, cracking, and wear because of the fibers in shingles. Because the paving lasts longer, taxpayers save money.
In 2007, the Missouri Department of Transportation estimated that they saved $3 to $5 per ton of asphalt. For a road project that uses 30,000 tons of asphalt, taxpayers could save between $90,000 and $150,000.
How to Find a Recycler in Your Area
In September 2012, I used Earth911’s recycling center finder with the simple search word “shingles.” I found seven shingle recycling businesses within 25 miles of my house in Wisconsin and nine locations within 15 miles of Portland, Oregon. Sometimes, you need to widen your search to find recycling centers. For example, Nashville Tennessee has no shingle recyclers, but there is one about 17 miles away in Lavergne.
