New Strides in PVC Membrane Recycling

By Adam Cabrera. 

PVC's longevity and reusability make it an ideal component in numerous construction applications. 

In a recent Roofing Road Trips episode, Heidi J. Ellsworth sits down with Shawn Stanley of IB Roof Systems. Together they dive into the post-consumer recycling process and new methods of recycling PVC membranes that IB Roof Systems is using to lower the carbon footprint. 

Shawn is the sustainability director for IB Roof Systems, the head of the Environmental PVC Task Force at SPRI and is involved with various councils that focus on sustainability in the industry. So, it comes as no surprise that Shawn is an advocate for PVC as a sustainable building material. 

"Everyone thinks of PVC as something that is only going to be used for a short period of time then sit in a landfill for 50 years," says Shawn. "But why not use it for something that's going to perform for 50 years and then be repurposed? That's what the magic of PVC is." 

PVC in this way can be used and then reused in all kinds of construction projects. For example, when the IB Roof Systems team was removing an old PVC roof in Oklahoma, the materials, which under normal circumstances would have been taken to a landfill, were repurposed in an unexpected way.  "The roof was damaged by large hail,” says Shawn. “So, we were able to take that off and we're going to send it to a flooring manufacturer... And we're going to be able to track this going from the roof to the recycler, and then to the building where it's going to have a new use of life." 

PVC, being half natural gas and half salt, is considered more sustainable than other plastics. This is not just because it uses fewer natural resources, but also due to its inherent properties. Shawn explains, "It's an inert, nothing really reacts to it. That's why a lot of hospitals use it. It's very easy to keep clean, to sanitize and all these things that the plastic is unique for." 

As the demand for recyclable building materials increases it is important to know what kinds of products are available to you. 

Listen to this recent episode of Roofing Road Trips to hear more about what materials IB Roof Systems is using to be greener and help contractors remain profitable.