San Antonio --
January 22, 2007

Asphalt shingle recycling won't grow beyond its currently modest levels without hard, detailed proof that the material is safe to handle, those examining the issue believe.

Maybe 5 percent of all used asphalt shingles are recycled. Those that are recycled commonly are used by hot-mix asphalt makers or ground down for use as road base and road surface materials.

But ongoing concerns about the potential use of asbestos in shingles installed decades ago have many regulators weary of permitting reuse once they are torn off homes.

So the Construction Materials recycling Association is taking a multi-pronged approach to address the issue and provide research to answer lingering questions.

``I think it's just the nature of environmental regulators and the absence of concise, hard data. It's natural to want to be conservative and want to have more sampling, more data,'' said Timothy Townsend, associate professor in the Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences at the University of Florida.

Townsend is conducting research into asphalt recycling and plans to author a white paper detailing asphalt recycling by midyear.

The associate professor, while working with members of the CMRA trade group representing recyclers, will be an ``unbiased, big-picture'' look at the issues surrounding asphalt recycling.

Dan Krivit, an environmental consultant, also is preparing a best practices guide for recyclers to follow when handling asphalt shingles.

And a Web site developed by the CMRA dedicated to the issue, www.shinglerecycling. org, has been updated to draw new attention to the topic.

Krivit figures about 5 percent of all used asphalt shingles are recycled these days. ``It's an uphill climb,'' he said during the C&D World Exhibition and Conference in San Antonio last week.

Key barriers to increasing shingle recycling include: a lack of clear industry standards and specifications; inconsistent state regulations; a lack of information; and a lack of national leadership by private industry and government, Krivit said.

Limited research has shown that the presence of asbestos in asphalt shingles is very limited and it is believed that only a couple of manufacturers used small amounts of the material. It is also believed that the use of asbestos was completely eliminated by about 1975.

But manufacturers worried about being sued don't even want to discuss the issue, said CMRA Executive Director William Turley.

``We just don't have enough research on it yet,'' Turley told C&D World attendees.

While the asbestos issue has been hanging over asphalt shingle recycling for years, an emerging issue also threatens to muddy the water. Townsend said the research also needs to address the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or chemicals found in petroleum.

Asphalt, a petroleum-based product, makes up a quarter to half of a shingle. Other components include a mat typically made of felt or fiberglass and minerals that are used as coatings.

Exactly how polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, interact with the environment when shingles are recycled will be explored, Townsend said.

Townsend said he believes research ultimately will show that the hurdles for asphalt recycling can be overcome. ``I don't say that trying to white-wash,'' he said. ``It's been done. ... It's definitely something that can happen.''

Krivit said recyclers have to take the lead on the issue. ``We really need as an industry to choose to proactively get ahead of the regulations. We need to know our regulations and anticipate the questions your state environmental departments will ask you.''

Contact Waste News senior reporter Jim Johnson at (937) 964-1289 or jpjohnson@crain.com