How Are Old Asphalt Shingles Recycled?

Asphalt shingles, like most building materials, often end up in landfills, posing environmental risks. The good news is that they can be recycled, which is why when it comes to roofing materials, they are known to be an eco-friendly option. Home Pro Exteriors, Inc. explains in this blog post how old asphalt shingles are recycled and repurposed.

The Recycling Process

The journey of recycling old asphalt shingles begins the moment they are removed from your roof. It’s important that these shingles are free from contaminants such as wood, metal and plastic before they’re transported to the recycling facility. Once everything is cleared, the shingles are then ground up into smaller pieces. Manufacturers would then use the refined material into creating new asphalt-based products.

Creating New Products

Recycled asphalt shingles become a major component of hot-mix asphalt used for paving roads. This not only reduces the need for quarrying new raw materials but also lowers the cost of road construction and maintenance. If the refined material is good enough, most manufacturers would source them from recycling plants to use once again for manufacturing high-quality asphalt shingles.

Environmental Benefits

Recycling old asphalt shingles significantly reduces landfill waste, which is crucial given the considerable amount of roofing material removed annually in the U.S alone. Furthermore, by repurposing these materials into hot-mix asphalt and new roofing products, paving roads becomes much cheaper, can save valuable resources and reduce carbon footprint. 

Economic Implications

Recycling asphalt shingles reduces the demand for new raw materials and lowers prices in the roof manufacturing, construction and road paving industries. Lower waste volumes in landfills also means lower waste management costs and more free facilities to recycle more material from various sources. So, if you’re sending your old asphalt shingle roofs to recycling plants, know that you’re doing the world a huge favor.

Of course, you’d like to replace your to-be-recycled asphalt shingle roofs with new ones. Make sure an expert installs it for you effectively. Call Home Pro Exteriors, Inc., the best roofers in town. Dial (845) 343-1777, or fill out this contact form to get an estimate.