As you may know, a metal roof typically has a minimum of 25 percent recycled content. This means that it can be labeled as “green” and be included in the list of products that are recycled.
When a building is renovated or demolished, a metal roof is 100 percent recyclable in those cases. Whereas some roofing materials end up in a landfill — it’s estimated that 11 million tons of asphalt shingles are in landfills — metal can be reused in its entirety.
But how does the recycling process work? The following information comes from the group Conserve Energy Future:
- The metals are first sorted in terms of the base of their properties. The quality of the metal goes a long way when it comes to recycling it, so this is an important step in the process.
- The metal is then squeezed and compacted so that they don’t take up as much space on the conveyor belts.
- It’s now time to shred the metal. The material is broken down into small sheets or pieces so they can be processed with ease. The smaller-sized pieces can be melted and will use less energy to do so. Steel is normally changed into steel blocks, while aluminum is changed into sheets.
- The scrap metal is then melted in a large furnace. (Each type of metal will be placed in a separate furnace.) This process does require energy, but not as much as it would take to make it from raw material.
- The metals are then purified in different methods, with the help of electrolysis. The blocks are transported to different mills so that they can be remade into new products.
If you’d like to know more about how a metal roof is recycled in Central Florida, 1st Coast Metal Roofing Supply has the answers. Contact us today!
