Page 11 - TN Public Works May-June Vol. 32 No.1
P. 11
Asphalt Shingle Recycling (ASR) Systems was an integral part of
cleaning up nearly 30,000 tons of asphalt shingles at an illegal dump
near Knoxville.
Environmental Stewards
“It’s refreshing to see traditional waste products recog-
nized as valuable resources when they are recycled and
beneficially reused,” said Braswell. “I submitted the project
for recognition as a nominee for the Tennessee Recycling
Coalition Business Recycler of the Year. Asphalt Shingle
Recycling Systems demonstrated superior work in the
materials management category and should be recognized
as true stewards for the environment.”
Currently, only five percent of any recycled asphalt
mixture is allowed to be from shingle material, but that
is still a five percent savings of material costs. For some
asphalt producers in other states this has equated to just
over $15 per ton or nearly $500,000 annually, according to
a recycled content analysis from Asphalt Shingle Recycling
Systems partner Alan Clarke.
In addition to the cost savings, finding a beneficial use
for a waste product saves resources. For example, a typi-
cal residential roof provides enough recycled asphalt to
pave a 200-foot section of one lane of highway. That one
household of shingles takes four barrels of unrefined oil to
produce. Landfills nationwide receive enough shingles in a
year to amount to 14 million barrels of oil.
According to Larry Christley with the Solid Waste Man-
agement Division for TDEC, several studies were conduct-
ed by Middle Tennessee State University and Tennessee
State University in 2007 and 2008. The studies estimated
that approximately 12 percent of Tennessee’s construction
and demolition waste stream is asphalt roofing, equat-
ing to 171,000 tons. About 65,500 tons are disposed of in
Class I landfills while the remaining 105,500 tons go to
Class III landfills. Because Class III landfills usually have
lower tipping fees than Class I and often charge per cubic
yard rather than ton, Class III landfills are the preferred
option for disposers of shingles due to the high density of
the shingles.
TDEC and TDOT are working in tandem with permit-
ted asphalt recyclers in Tennessee to develop new and
improved source collections sites, partnerships with local
municipalities, landfills and community leadership to
encourage responsible recycling.
TPW May/June 2014 11
cleaning up nearly 30,000 tons of asphalt shingles at an illegal dump
near Knoxville.
Environmental Stewards
“It’s refreshing to see traditional waste products recog-
nized as valuable resources when they are recycled and
beneficially reused,” said Braswell. “I submitted the project
for recognition as a nominee for the Tennessee Recycling
Coalition Business Recycler of the Year. Asphalt Shingle
Recycling Systems demonstrated superior work in the
materials management category and should be recognized
as true stewards for the environment.”
Currently, only five percent of any recycled asphalt
mixture is allowed to be from shingle material, but that
is still a five percent savings of material costs. For some
asphalt producers in other states this has equated to just
over $15 per ton or nearly $500,000 annually, according to
a recycled content analysis from Asphalt Shingle Recycling
Systems partner Alan Clarke.
In addition to the cost savings, finding a beneficial use
for a waste product saves resources. For example, a typi-
cal residential roof provides enough recycled asphalt to
pave a 200-foot section of one lane of highway. That one
household of shingles takes four barrels of unrefined oil to
produce. Landfills nationwide receive enough shingles in a
year to amount to 14 million barrels of oil.
According to Larry Christley with the Solid Waste Man-
agement Division for TDEC, several studies were conduct-
ed by Middle Tennessee State University and Tennessee
State University in 2007 and 2008. The studies estimated
that approximately 12 percent of Tennessee’s construction
and demolition waste stream is asphalt roofing, equat-
ing to 171,000 tons. About 65,500 tons are disposed of in
Class I landfills while the remaining 105,500 tons go to
Class III landfills. Because Class III landfills usually have
lower tipping fees than Class I and often charge per cubic
yard rather than ton, Class III landfills are the preferred
option for disposers of shingles due to the high density of
the shingles.
TDEC and TDOT are working in tandem with permit-
ted asphalt recyclers in Tennessee to develop new and
improved source collections sites, partnerships with local
municipalities, landfills and community leadership to
encourage responsible recycling.
TPW May/June 2014 11
