In the News

Recycling building parts

By Reinsch, Lee Marie
Publication: Marketplace
Date: Tuesday, May 12 2009
 

SECURITY ROOFING OWNER Reid Ribble no longer sees the old shingles his company tears off buildings as waste to be landfilled.

That's because asphalt shingles Security Roofing removes get ground down into their basic components - asphalt, limestone, fiberglass and aggregate - and reused as asphalt pavement.

An Elkhorn company uses a heating process to reclaim the petroleum ingredients in the asphalt from the shingles.

"This is a shift in paradigm," says Ribble. "Instead of seeing debris in a landfill, you see barrels of oil."

Security is among a growing number of companies that are repurposing building materials in an attempt to cut down on landfill waste.

"We used to advise our customers not to get a complete tear-off if they could avoid it, because we knew the day would come when shingles could be recycled," says Ribble. "That day has come."

A March reroofing of Calvary Bible Church in Neenah ordinarily would have put 58 tons of solid waste into the landfill, he says. But Security recycled all of it, right down to the metal flashing, underlayment and the nails.

"Even the plastic wrap on the new shingles was recycled," says Ribble. He said he believes it was Northeast Wisconsin's first zero-percent landfill project of its size.

The average house carries 3.74 tons of shingles.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reports that every year, Wisconsin landfills absorb 4.7 million tons of solid waste. Of that amount, 28.7 percent consists of construction and demolition materials - with untreated wood, asphalt shingles, and rock, concrete and brick comprising the top offenders.

MORE THAN SHINGLES

Ribble's company has found that many types of insulation and rubber membranes on commercial rooftops are recyclable. Plastic-based EPS (expanded polystyrene) insulation can be recycled, as can EXPS (extruded polystyrene) insulation.

"They regrind it to make it back into insulation to insulate buildings," says Ribble.

For green projects at ground level, retail home renovation outlets such as Urban Evolutions and ReStore provide reused materials from structural components to furnishings.

Founded in 1995 by Robin and Jeff Janson, what is now Urban Evolutions of Menasha began from the couple's personal quest to restore their historic Appleton farmhouse after a fire.

In search of vintage woodwork and flooring, the Jansons fell into the salvage business. Jeff would hear about a building to be razed and arrange to buy the crown moldings, carved woodwork and other trim work.

To raze a building costs money, and Jeff found that people were often happy to pay him to dissemble the building, says Robin Janson.

"We would sell it to friends and businesses downtown, friends opening restaurants," she said.

Before they knew it, they were helping coffee shops, restaurants and salons in downtown Appleton procure salvaged fixtures, bars, booths, furniture, flooring and doors and other artifacts for their renovation projects.

"It got to where it started building up an inventory and we realized there was a market out there for this stuff," says Robin Janson.

Urban Evolutions used items from 35 different buildings in the renovation of one cafe on College Avenue, then Peggy's Cafe.

Urban Evolutions built a house from reclaimed materials in Door County for Jim and Debi Bashleben. It includes barn board flooring from a Kewaskum barn, nine-foot-tall antique doors from a Wisconsin convent and doors with transom windows from an Illinois school.

"We were familiar with Jeff and the things [Urban Evolutions] could do, and we were interested in creating that type of a look," says Jim Bashleben.

Overall, their recycled house has a warm atmosphere, he says. "Plus, we felt we were making the most of reclaimed materials," says Bashleben.

Urban Evolutions now subcontracts its deconstruction services and green demolition work.

The company has grown over the years to three divisions: Wholesale salvage materials, wholesale furniture made from salvaged materials, and retail salvaged and repurposed items sold in the retail store at 867 Valley Road in Menasha.

A major part of its salvaged-materials business comes from national retailers in search of a vintage look, says Jeff Janson. Urban Evolutions outfits stores, including Urban Outfitters and its headquarters in Pennsylvania, with reclaimed wood flooring.

ONE MAN'S TRASH

The Habitat for Humanity ReStore at 3000 E. College Ave. in Appleton, accepts donations of building materials from contractors, building companies, companies with overstock or that close, people whose homes are being razed, and green demolitions and sells it to the public at a reduced cost.

"One man's trash is another's treasure," says Appleton ReStore operations manager Craig Fink.

Volunteers with Habitat for Humanity help dissemble buildings or businesses in return for re-saleable building components. The recent closing of Linens 'N Things netted the Appleton ReStore its shelving and other store fixtures for resale.

Less than three years ago when it opened, Appleton's ReStore, opened less than three years ago, is the third of 12 Habitat for Humanity ReStores in Wisconsin.

Proceeds from sales go to support the local Habitat for Humanity affiliates. The Appleton ReStore supports Habitat projects in Outagamie, Winnebago and Calumet counties.

 

 

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