Technical, financial, and geographic challenges in recycling asphalt composition roof shingles

Conference · Thu Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1999

OSTI ID:20006498

Reith, C C; Carpenter, M; Robertson, D T

Eleven million tons of asphalt composition shingles are disposed of annually in US landfills. The wastes from roof removal or repair operations are a promising, but under-harvested feedstock for recycling. This waste stream generally arrives by truck at local landfills, where it is relatively unmixed and ready for recycling. However, in most cases the shingles are landfilled at the local tipping fee. The authors analyzed impediments and opportunities in recycling asphalt shingles and elected to commence operations in the east San Francisco Bay area, where tipping fees as high as $50 per ton provide an economic incentive to intercept and recycle this waste stream. Their approach has been to use a 60 inch x 38 inch rotating-head grinder propelled by a 400 horsepower diesel engine. Roofing waste is introduced to the grinder, which processes up to 50 tons per hour. The product is half-inch minus granular asphalt with co-mingled sand that may be used as a feedstock (approximately 5%) in the production of hot-mix asphalt, as used for road construction. A potentially more profitable reuse of recycled product is in the production of a cold patch for road repair which, when fully commercialized, will further improve the economics of shingles recycling. Other reuse scenarios are being explored. The authors are carefully chronicling and optimizing the Bay Area recycling campaign with the intent of promoting similar activities nationwide as soon as the economics become favorable.

• Research Organization: Tulane Univ., New Orleans, LA (US)
• OSTI ID: 20006498
• Report Number(s): CONF-990608--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
ASPHALTS
ECONOMICS
RECYCLING
ROADS
ROOFS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION