Join. movement. the. by James R. Kirby, AIA

Transcription

1 Join movement the by James R. Kirby, AIA 10

2 The sustainability movement is a driving force for change not only in society but in the construction industry, as well. And one important aspect of sustainability is recycling waste materials. Most likely, you are comfortable recycling your newspapers and plastic bottles at home; you know how to rinse and sort them and in which receptacles they belong. But are you prepared to recycle roof system components such as ballast, single-ply membranes and asphalt shingles? In the coming years, roofing professionals likely will need to recycle roof system components as construction recycling efforts become mandatory and more projects involve recycling. Understanding the processes used to recycle roof system components can prepare your company for projects that require recycling. Following are some reasons for recycling, which roofing materials are being recycled (or reused) and economic considerations. Recycling is happening and will continue to become more prevalent, so it s important to be prepared. WHAT S DRIVING THIS? There are a few factors driving the recycling of roof system components. The most influential likely is the U.S. Green Building Council s (USGBC s) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, which provides a number of rating systems (such as LEED for New Construction and Major Renovation) for buildings and overall construction sustainability. LEED rating systems include categories that pertain to a material s recycled content and recycling construction materials on-site. Another factor is roofing materials manufacturers constantly are looking for ways to increase the amount of materials recycled during manufacturing and at the end of their useful service lives that is, after the materials have been used as roof system components. Building owners also increasingly are aware that many natural resources are limited, and using recycled materials and on-site recycling can reduce the need for virgin material use. Additionally, local municipalities are enacting regulations regarding recycling, specifically of construction materials from new construction and demolition. For example, Chicago currently requires 50 percent of construction waste to be recycled. In light of these factors, aligning yourself with companies that are green and have the ability to recycle can have a positive effect on your business position. Including recycling as part of daily operations could help lead to a successful business model, certainly considering the current economy and economic stimulus spending relating to green jobs. A NEW MINDSET Although you may be recycling plastic and paper at your offices, roofing materials need to be recycled at job sites or during manufacturing, too. However, recycling roofing materials requires effort and organization. This means roofing professionals need a new mindset tossing roofing waste in a trash bin just isn t prudent anymore and new criteria to properly recycle roofing materials. At our homes and offices, we put recyclable materials in appropriate bins and nonrecyclable waste in another bin. So, too, on job sites, you generally will need separate containers for recyclables and nonrecyclable construction waste. Roofing materials need to be properly separated, appropriately contained, and transported to or picked up by a recycler. These processes can vary depending on the materials being recycled. ASPHALT SHINGLES Currently, asphalt shingles command the largest percentage of post-consumer recycling efforts. More than 10 million tons of asphalt shingle waste is produced every year. (For more information, see Full circle, Professional Roofing s May 2008 issue, page 28.) A majority comes from tear-offs; the other portion comes from waste created during manufacturing. Asphalt shingles can be recycled into certain road-building materials (typically hot-mix asphalt), cold-mix asphalt, cold patch, road base, and low-impact surfaces such as playgrounds and bicycle paths. One study sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and prepared for Owens Corning, Toledo, Ohio, examined whether asphalt shingles can be used as an energy source. The study concluded it is possible but in limited applications, such as cement kilns; however, this is not currently economically viable. If you are interested in recycling asphalt shingles, first determine whether an available recycler accepts mixed materials or requires separated materials. Knowing this information helps organize job-site setup. An NRCA special publication June

3 will become more routine for every tearoff job. EPDM AND PVC MEMBRANES Asphalt shingles, like the ones on this house, can be recycled. Recyclers accept two forms of waste. Some recyclers require separated source material recyclable materials need to be separate from waste intended for a landfill. However, some recyclers will take mixed roofing materials and separate them into recyclables and those intended for a landfill. But even if mixed loads are accepted, layering materials within a container probably is necessary. Separate containers or layering require extra planning and possibly alternative rooftop logistics to accommodate the recycler. Also, determine whether recyclers have published guidelines describing the types and quality of waste they will accept. You should know the processes used and recyclers requirements before sending waste to be recycled. This can eliminate much confusion and better yet back charges for or rejection of inappropriate materials. Typically, asphalt shingles that are separated need to exclude waste such as wood, plastics, scrap metal, dirt, rocks, adhesives, solvents and petroleum contamination. For mixed loads, shingles usually are placed at the bottom of the container and other construction debris is layered on top of the recyclable asphalt shingles for efficient separation at the recycler. Also, most if not all recyclers currently are required to test asphalt-based products for asbestos. Asbestos has not been used in asphalt shingles for more than 25 years but has been used in certain products, such as roof cements and mastics. Although there still are some older asbestoscontaining asphalt shingles on buildings, their presence is decreasing. Shinglerecycling.org provides U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other regulatory information about asbestos regulation and management. The National Institute of Standards and Technology offers a directory of accredited labs that conduct asbestos testing; it can be viewed at Where two layers of asphalt shingles exist on the same roof, roofing workers can help ensure a recycler will accept materials by separating the top layer from the bottom layer if the bottom layer of asphalt shingles is found to contain asbestos. The top layer goes to the recycler, and the bottom layer goes to the landfill. Of course, this requires more time and effort by roofing workers on-site. Is all this effort worth it? Will an owner help pay for the added labor costs for sorting and separating? As the sustainable movement and its recycling component gain momentum, these efforts hopefully According to Waste not, in Professional Roofing s April 2007 issue, page 32, a study conducted by the EPDM Roofing Association s (ERA s) industry task force revealed EPDM roofing materials account for more than 1 billion square feet of new roof coverings in the U.S. each year. If EPDM tear-offs are only a small percentage of that number, a considerable amount of EPDM still is available for recycling annually. EPDM can be recycled into EPDM products or used as components of other nonroofing elastomeric products. The EPDM industry, through ERA, is continuing to pursue new opportunities for recycled EPDM materials. Data from the NRCA Market Survey show PVC has roughly 25 percent of the market share of EPDM. This means there also is a large quantity of PVC tear-off material available for recycling annually. PVC can be recycled into new roof membranes (typically used in the sheet s bottom side where potential color differences are not critical), walkway pads and nonroofing elastomeric products, such as floor coverings and pavement patching materials. Because EPDM and PVC recycling in the U.S. is a young industry, you should determine whether recycling such tear-off materials is feasible for a particular project. At this time, I would recommend contacting the material s manufacturer to see whether the manufacturer has a recycling program. Alternatively, you could contact the manufacturer of the replacement EPDM or PVC material to see whether it will accept material from another manufacturer. Determining whether there are local recyclers or nonmembrane manufacturers that accept material is another way to locally recycle a product. 12 ProfessionalRoofing ECO

4 If you are involved in EPDM or PVC tear-off recycling, you will need to establish specific processes with the recycler (which may be the original membrane manufacturer). Estimating the amount of recyclable material and number of recycling containers needed to transport the material generally is the first step. On a job site, your workers will need to slit the membrane into yard- or meter-wide pieces, roll the pieces tightly, and heat weld (for PVC) or secure the roll ends to keep them in place (tape is generally not allowed because the adhesive is not recyclable). The rolls of material will need to be placed into specific on-site containers for transport to the recycler. Flashings that have been adhered must be separated from material that does not contain adhesives. This means cutting the membrane so the membrane in the field is separated from the membrane at the flashing locations. Additionally, adhered seams must be cut out and separated. The material used for flashings and seams generally is not recyclable because of the glue or tape used for application. Mechanical fasteners, which may be recyclable, and contaminants also should be removed from material that is being recycled. INSULATION AND BALLAST In roofing applications where single-ply roof systems are loose-laid and ballasted, there is an opportunity to reuse insulation and ballast. Insulation and ballast typically are not recycled but can be reused in other nonroofing locations, such as agricultural buildings or landscaping, respectively. If you install vegetative roof systems, they may benefit from insulation or ballast from a tear-off project. With a loose-laid and ballasted or mechanically attached roof system, ballast, membrane and insulation can be recycled depending on the membrane type. Expanded and extruded polystyrene generally are considered reusable because they do not have facer sheets; however, adhesives on the surfaces of insulation boards (with or without facers) may render a board unusable in some reuse applications or recycling opportunities. When on-site, insulation needs to be removed from a roof, stacked on pallets, and moved to storage or a new project location. Ballast generally only needs to be picked up and put in containers appropriate for transport whether it s being transported to a different site or simply to ground level for use in another location on the property. METAL AND DEBRIS Metals used in the construction and roofing industries have been recycled for years, and there are established recycling programs. Generally, sheet metal shops recycle metal from fabrication waste; many types of metal are recycled at the end of their service lives; and metal scraps that come from construction waste also are recycled. Copper, steel and aluminum are commonly recycled metals. An overall recycling plan for construction waste also can include cardboard and paper, wood, carpet, ceiling tile, drywall, paint, glass, concrete and steel. Although many of these products aren t part of roofing projects, they can present roofing contractors with recycling opportunities they may not have considered; for example, roofing products often have cardboard or paper packaging that can be recycled or they Photo courtesy of Sika Sarnafil Inc., Canton, Mass. are delivered on pallets that can be recycled. Recycling should occur at new construction projects, as well as projects that involve removing existing roof systems. Scraps and cut materials from new roof system installations certainly can be recycled; these materials are clean and not contaminated. However, the economies of scale may not lead to feasible recycling of small amounts of scraps from new materials. Perhaps small quantities can be taken back to your shop and collected later for recycling. LEED There are a number of contractor-based and construction-site-based LEED points available. A majority of the points are related to roof system design, materials used on-site and recycling construction waste. You will encounter a LEED project more commonly as a subcontractor; however, many of the available on-site LEED points are controlled by general contractors. As a subcontractor, understanding the particulars about these issues will better prepare you to participate and help guide others regarding your part of the project. A roofing worker cuts a PVC membrane into pieces measured appropriately for transport to a recycler. An NRCA special publication June

5 A D D I T I O N A L R E S O U R C E S Various Web sites can provide more information about recycling roofing materials. Following are some additional resources: Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association: Construction Materials Recycling Association: EPDM Roofing Association: Shinglerecycling.org Additionally, for more information or further reading, refer to the following articles or resources: 21st century recycling, Professional Roofing, August 2001 issue, page 38 Waste not, Professional Roofing, April 2007 issue, page 32 PVC recycling is now a reality, Professional Roofing, December 2007 issue, page 28 Full circle, Professional Roofing, May 2008 issue, page 28 LEED, don t follow, Professional Roofing, July 2008, page NRCA Market Survey Best Practices Guide for Recycling Asphalt Shingles, C&D World, July/August 2008 issue, page 32 Shingles as Energy, C&D World, November/December 2008 issue, page 34 For example, using recycled materials (such as a PVC membrane with recycled content), reusing materials (such as roof ballast in on-site landscaping), using certified wood (such as nailers and site-built curbs) and on-site recycling of construction waste can help earn LEED points. When projects are being considered for LEED certification, you may need written verification from a recycler and/or manufacturer about how and where recycled products are used. This helps verify the amounts of downstream use of recycled products and waste. ECONOMICS The market for most recycled materials is small, and the processes and economic viability still are not fully developed, so federal and local government requirements provide some of the incentive to recycle. Regional tipping fees for construction waste, transportation costs and recycling transaction costs are factors that need to be analyzed to determine whether recycling has economic feasibility. In addition, your crews need to spend time on job sites preparing materials for transportation to a recycling facility. If these costs exceed transportation and tipping fees in local landfills, recycling efforts likely will not occur. There needs to be an appropriate business model for roofing material recycling to succeed. As the number of recycling facilities grows, transportation costs should decline and recycling efforts should increase. Also, some landfills are seizing the opportunity to add recycling facilities. This allows roofing contractors to recycle without additional transportation costs. Specifiers also can include realistic recycling efforts in job specifications. However, this likely will add some costs to a project, so the building owner may need justification for the added expense. Some owners will promote recycling because of their ideals and are willing to pay extra; however, some owners will need a push from local authorities in the form of recycling mandates or incentives. Either way, contractors who are knowledgeable about local recycling efforts will be at the forefront of this movement and likely will be able to promote their green efforts and be at the top of the bid list when roofing projects require recycling efforts. And as more of these projects become available, adding recycling programs is likely to keep you busy. FINDING SUCCESS In its basic form, recycling is about separating materials, placing them in separate containers and bringing them to a recycling facility. However, job preparation and on-site logistics must be worked out before a recycling project can succeed. Like other new opportunities, being prepared allows for success. As the U.S. moves toward more sustainable construction and owners recycle more often, taking advantage of new recycling opportunities and being part of the trend can only help your industry position. James R. Kirby, AIA, is NRCA s associate executive director of technical communications. 14 ProfessionalRoofing ECO