RECYCLING
What is RECYCLING? - It all starts with clear definitions.
(Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC definition)
Recycling means any recovery operation by which waste materials are reprocessed into products, materials or substances whether for the original or other purposes.
It includes the reprocessing of organic material but does NOT include energy recovery and the reprocessing into material that are to be used as fuels or for backfilling operations. Hence: Collection, logistics, sorting and “recovery” is clearly not recycling
Mechanical recycling not only safeguards valuable resources but at the same time also a considerable amount of CO2 emissions compared to virgin plastics.
The ESWA Roofcollect Project
ROOFCOLLECT® is the European solution for the recycling of post-consumer thermoplastic roofing membranes under the umbrella of ESWA, the European Single ply Waterproofing Association. Thermoplastic roofing membranes are perfectly suited for recycling after years of service on a roof.
ESWA offers today a future-oriented recycling structure of thermoplastic post-consumer roofing membranes. Additional recycling units will offer the capacities for increasing quantities.
ROOFCOLLECT® facilitates the collection of waterproofing membranes to enable their recycling and the use of recycled polymers in the creation of new products.
Collection and Recycling of Roofing Membranes through the ROOFCOLLECT® System
Step 1
Removal
The old roof is prepared and cleaned with a broom. The old membranes are cut on site in 1 m large strips with a cutter. The mechanical fixations are eliminated (screws and rounds). The membranes are rolled as tight as possible and are stored on the building site. The rolls are packaged in big bags.
Step 2
Acceptance
To qualify for recycling through the ROOFCOLLECT system, the material must fullfill a set of criteria:
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End-of-life roofing membranes should be supplied in a cleaned state and should not contain remaining particles of glue or bitumen. Please indicate the material on registration.
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Fleece-backed and adhered roofing membranes can also be collected. They must be registered separately.
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The membranes must be cut into meter-wide strips and rolled up. To reduce the transport volume please roll up the membranes as tightly as possible.
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The membranes are collected in big bags which are synthetic plastic bags with a maximum capacity of 300 bis 400 m² of old roofing membranes and a possible total weight of 1000 kg. For big construction sites we propose containers. Please contact your supplier of the new roofing membrane for further information.
Step 3
Collection
The end-of-life material will be collected once it has been correctly prepared and registered. Please contact your supplier of the new roofing membrane for further information on the registration, collection, and time slot for delivery at a recycler's site. For any information, please contact our Brussels offices via roofcollect@eswa-synthetics.org.
ESWA also contributes to the voluntary commitment of the PVC industry, VinylPlus®, by collecting and recycling end of life PVC membranes through its ROOFCOLLECT® system.
