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Asphalt Shingle Recycling Saves $50K In Annual Dump Fees

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Save On Shingle Disposal Cost With Asphalt Recycling

Problem, over 11 million tons (22 billions lbs) of asphalt roofing materials are dumped in U.S. landfills each year. Problem, at an average of $125 per ton to dispose of this material contractors are taking a pretty big hit on their job cost, which ultimately gets passed down to the homeowners looking to re-roof. Now for the good news! There is a solution to both problems by participating in asphalt shingle recycling programs. Asphalt shingles can be turned into RAS, or recycled asphalt shingles which can be reused for products such as roads, asphalt-based sealants and more. At the same time dump fees can be reduced to as little as $75 or less depending on where you are in the country. Now this is a solution that makes both dollars and cents!

Breakdown Of Financial Savings By Recycling Asphalt Shingles

Recycling-Asphalt-ShinglesHere are the mathematical facts that will do all of the persuading necessary to encourage you to recycle your shingles. We utilize a local recycling company called Glacier, so the figures will be taken from what they currently charge us in Washington. Lets say the average roofer installs 2 homes per week and that the average home has a roof with a surface area of 2,500 square feet (25 squares). On average, each square weighs approximately 240 pounds. Each home produces about 6,000 pounds of asphalt roofing waste and costs approximately $420 to dispose of. At the install volume of 2 houses per week the yearly annual cost of dumping for a local roofing company is $43,680. That’s a lot of money.

Now let’s compare that to the cost of disposing of the same exact material at a shingle recycling plant. At just $75 per ton, the average cost to dispose of 25 squares of roofing is only $225. We can save $195.00 per home, $390 per week, $1,638 per month and $23,400 per year! Considering how many years we were not recycling and paying out the big bucks while destroying the ecosystem, this is a thrilling number and a great reason to be a roofing contractor dedicated to green initiatives.

How We Really Got Started Recycling Our Tear-Offs

Shingle Recycling Programs We looked into recycling programs a while ago but had a hard time locating a plant that was close and affordable. We found a company that is about 35 minutes from our office, but they actually charge $2 more per ton that the dump we were using. While performing some research, we came across GAF Roofing Corporations recycling program. They provided a link to http://www.shinglerecycling.org/ which helps you  to find local plants that recycle and produce RAS. We were able to connect with Glacier, which is only 15 minutes from our shop  and $65 less per ton than our normal rate. Thank you GAF for providing yet another incredible source that has been a game changer for us! We are now a GAF Certified Green Roofer, and it has truly made a difference in our company, and certainly our local eco-system.

3 thoughts on “Asphalt Shingle Recycling Saves $50K In Annual Dump Fees”

  1. There are multiple ways where you can help save the environment you live in and benefit from it. One way is reusing grocery bags by keeping them in your house or in the trunk of your car.

  2. I appreciate what you said about asphalt shingles and how they can be turned into products for road construction. Recycling asphalt is a simple way to lessen the amount of environmental impact in the world. If I were to require such services, I would find a contractor that is known for their recycling capabilities.

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