The converging influences of economic pressure and increasing
environmental awareness have been key drivers behind the dramatic
growth of recycling initiatives in various North American
manufacturing sectors. Skyrocketing raw material costs, rising
disposal fees and ever more competitive market prices are squeezing
the bottom line in many industries. Improving yields and finding
ways to recapture whatever value they can from any scrap or
off-spec material produced are critical to many companies'
profitability. And, of course, there are several ecological
benefits of doing so.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has estimated 136
million tons of building construction- and demolition-related
debris are generated annually. And the U.S. Green Building Council
says these waste streams account for about 40 percent of all solid
waste in the U.S. Roofing materials represent a significant portion
of that total.
According to a study done in Wisconsin by consulting firm Camp,
Dresser & McKee Inc., Cambridge, Mass., though roofing
materials represent only 4 percent of construction waste (from new
construction and renovation) in the state, they represent 26
percent of demolition waste. The potential effect of recycling
roofing materials at the end of their service...
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