Bethesda, Md. -- In the latest update of its ongoing recycling program, the EPDM Roofing Association (ERA) announced that more than five million square feet of EPDM membrane has been recycled since the program's inception. That total is reportedly the largest recorded figure for a recycled commercial roofing product in North America.

In all, roughly 1.25 million pounds of reclaimed EPDM membrane has been diverted from landfills in the past three years.

After initiating the program in a pilot phase in 2006 and 2007, ERA has expanded the program in 2008 and 2009, thanks in large part to the introduction of the ERA Recycling Council, featuring ERA Affiliate Members. The Affiliate Member category is open to any company engaged in any aspect of the business of recycling EPDM or other single-ply roof membranes.

Nationwide Foam Inc. (NFI), of Framingham, Mass. (www.nationwidefoam.com/), and West Development Group (WDG), of LaGrange, Ohio (www.wdgsilicones.com/), are the first members of the Recycling Council. Through the efforts of these partners, the EPDM recycling program is active in 48 U.S. states and several provinces in southern Canada.  

The program is available for low-slope ballasted and mechanically attached non-reinforced EPDM membrane tear-offs, offering jobsite collection and transportation directly to a recycling center.

"We have seen significant progess in the recycling program in the past 18 months," said Mike DuCharme, Director of Product Marketing, Carlisle SynTec, and chairman of ERA's board of directors. "EPDM is now well positioned in a changing marketplace, that has high expectations for sustainable performance and a life cycle that extends into recycling. That means when you remove an EPDM roof to recycle it, the best choice to replace is more EPDM."

The EPA also estimates that more than one billion square feet of EPDM roofing is removed from rooftops every year, the equivalent of 33,000 40-yard dumpsters or more than 120,000 full-size railcars. EPDM has proven to be a "green roofing" product based on its long life cycle and recyclability, making it the natural product for reroofing existing EPDM roofs.  

"We value the role played by our Affiliate Members. This has enabled us to create the beginning of a proven infrastructure that simplifies the process and makes recycling economically viable for roofing contractors and building owners," said Ed Kane, of Firestone Building Products, and a member of ERA's technical committee. "We now turn our attention to expanding our partnerships and infrastructure to allow for more material to be recycled, thus increasing the possibilities for teaming with companies interested in using recycled EPDM in their products."

For more information on the EPDM recycling program, go to ERA's web site at www.epdmroofs.org/recycling/index.shtml. You can also contact ERA's offices at (301) 654-5090 or info@epdmroofs.


The EPDM Roofing Association (ERA) is the first trade association solely representing the manufacturers of EPDM single-ply roofing products and their leading suppliers.  ERA provides technical and research support to the public and the construction industry, and communicates the longstanding attributes, consistency and the value proposition of EPDM rubber membrane roofing materials.