Industry hopes to demystify process, encourage more post-consumer recycling
For years, the Vinyl Roofing Division of the Chemical Fabrics and Film Association (CFFA) has touted the preeminent recyclability of PVC (vinyl) roofing membranes. Already, more than 200 million pounds of pre- and post-consumer recycled PVC roofing have avoided the landfill, and over 10 million square feet of roof area has been recycled at the end of its service life. Still, some contractors and building owners speak of reticence to recycle PVC roofing because they either don’t know proper procedure or fear a prohibitive expense associated with collecting the used PVC roofing material.
Now, a new video produced in cooperation with the CFFA’s Vinyl Roofing Division demystifies the recycling process. It explains, in detail and using plain language, how to prepare used PVC roofing for recycling. The video can be viewed here.
With a few extra steps and minimal extra labor, mechanically fastened or ballasted PVC roof membranes can be removed and packaged for recycling. The video goes through the steps necessary for a successful recycling project, from the first meeting to the flatbed driving off to the recycling facility.
Building stakeholders will also be pleased to learn that there is no one right way to package and bundle the old roof. The video explains several popular options, and notes that recycling takes only up to three more steps than a standard roof removal process.
The vinyl roofing industry continues to make strides in increasing the recycling of its products, and is committed to combining post-consumer recycling technologies to add to these numbers. The Vinyl Roofing Division is hopeful that this newly produced video will encourage more building owners, contractors, and facility managers to consider recycling PVC roofing membrane at the end of its service life.
For more information on PVC roofing, visit https://vinylroofs.org/.
