SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Asphalt shingles are a common roofing material - and a common waste in home repair projects. In fact, every year 10 million tons of shingles are torn off roofs in the U.S., and some estimates say shingles may account for up to 5 percent of total annual building-related waste.
Owens Corning (NYSE: OC), a leading global producer of residential and commercial building materials and an industry leader in shingles recycling, and Earth911, Inc., host of the largest and most accurate recycling directory in the U.S., have partnered to help raise awareness about the environmental opportunities that shingles recycling presents and encourage more homeowners and contractors to get involved. Recycling shingles has a number of benefits:
- Every recycled roof is comparable to recycling more than 100 percent of a year’s worth of household waste.
- When recycled, a typical roof can yield about 200 feet of a two-lane highway.
- One ton of recycled shingles yields the equivalent of one barrel of oil.
- Asphalt shingles constitute 67 percent of the U.S. roofing market, so they present a significant recycling opportunity.
- Recycling shingles and producing pavement more efficiently saves money and energy on virgin materials as well as preserves natural resources.
“We are excited to help bring shingle recycling to both consumers and contractors,” said Barry Hornbacher, Owens Corning Roofing and Asphalt Shingle Recycling program manager. “Together with Earth 911 we have created a cost-effective and convenient solution that will reduce the environmental impact of installing a new roof.”
Earth911.com now hosts a new Shingles Recycling page with expert-level resources to address crucial shingles recycling know-how. Earth911 and Owens Corning will also develop stories utilizing facts, tips and ideas to help readers improve their knowledge about shingles recycling.
Owens Corning Roofing and Asphalt LLC is the first roofing manufacturer to establish a program for recycling shingles. Since the program began in 2009, more than 100,000 tons of shingles, or over 1000 miles of paved roads, have been recycled.
“Throwing away millions of barrels of oil each year in the form of shingles is a waste of valuable resources,” said Earth911 CEO Barry Monheit. “Through our partnership with Owens Corning, we’ll work to educate more homeowners about the potential environmental benefits of shingles recycling and make an impact on the demand for wider shingles recycling opportunities across the country.”
Contractors can take the Preferred Contractor Shingle Recycling Pledge, connecting contractors with convenient recycling facilities. Currently there are 43 major cities with drop-off locations for shingles recycling, and the network is expanding to more locations across the U.S. Recently, the Shingle Recycling Pledge was also expanded to homeowners, who can commit to using only contractors who recycle shingles to make their own home repair projects more sustainable.
About Owens Corning
Owens Corning (NYSE: OC) is a leading global producer of residential and commercial building materials, glass-fiber reinforcements and engineered materials for composite systems. A Fortune® 500 company for 57 consecutive years, Owens Corning is committed to driving sustainability by delivering solutions, transforming markets and enhancing lives. Founded in 1938, Owens Corning is a market-leading innovator of glass-fiber technology with sales of $5.3 billion in 2011 and approximately 15,000 employees in 28 countries on five continents. Additional information is available at: www.owenscorning.com.
About Earth911
Earth911 gathers, distributes and analyzes localized recycling information to assist manufacturers, organizations and consumers with product end-of-life solutions. Working to increase the recycling and disposal of consumer goods since 1991, Earth911’s services enhance and support companies’ responsible waste initiatives. The Earth911 Recycling Directory is the largest and most accurate in the nation, with more than 1 million ways to recycle more than 300 types of materials. Follow @Earth911 and like Earth911 on Facebook at www.facebook.com/earth911 to learn more.
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