Many construction and demolition companies have expressed their frustrations and are searching for solutions for recycling these materials. Moreover, many companies in the United States are finding viable solutions. Not much progress has been made in Southeast Michigan, but the market outlook may be changing. Researchers for the National Association for American Homebuilders say that drywall can be recycled easily if a construction site is located near a drywall processing plant who has the capability to reprocess the material. Otherwise, many companies find it is more cost effective to dispose of the drywall in a landfill than to pay high transportation costs to send the material to the closest processing plant.
Asphalt shingles are another material that is becoming more easily recyclable.
Several companies in the United States are successfully recycling asphalt. ReClaim Inc., in Tampa, Florida, uses cast-off asphalt generated from shingles and asphalt roofs to manufacture road paving products. The recycled asphalt is used for a variety of projects including filling potholes and paving park sidewalks. Many in the construction and demolition industry believe recycling construction and demolition materials has a promising future. Don't be surprised if drywall and asphalt shingles recycling becomes available in the not so distant future.