In shingle form, asphalt is extremely difficult to dispose of in an environmentally friendly manner, mostly due to the fact that it is a compound material made of several substances such as bitumen, a tar like substance; gravel, sand or crushed rock and ceramic, which gives colour to the shingle and helps reflect sunlight away from the roof.
Reduce | Reuse | Recycle | Facilities
How do I go green?
Reduce
The only way to keep from having to dispose of asphalt shingles is to avoid buying them. There are many other options for protection of your home’s roof, including cedar shingles, metal roofing, copper or even installation of a green roof. Cedar will last as long or longer than asphalt; metal and copper will last the life of your home, and a green roof will cut down on rain water runoff and counteract the urban heat island effect.
Reuse
Are your houses’ old shingles still in fairly good shape? Consider reusing them to cover the storage or garden shed. Individual shingles can also function as a good water repellent layer between ends of deck or house posts and their concrete pads. Shingles also make great slip prevention material when nailed to stairs and decks.
Recycle
There are currently no options for recycling used asphalt shingles; shingles can be taken to Hartland Landfill for disposal as garbage. Remove any metal flashing for recycling as scrap metal.
The Environmental Story
Currently, no facilities exist in the CRD that accept asphalt shingles for recycling. This is unfortunate, as asphalt is a petroleum product, which can cause harm to the natural environment and takes energy to produce. National Resources Canada is currently exploring pilot asphalt shingling recycling programs in four provinces, including British Columbia. Old shingles are separated into component parts and used for the construction of roads and on building sites.
Save the Date!
This year, Hartland Happening is on Sunday June 24th.
10:30 am to 3:00 pm
Click here for more details
Questions? Call the CRD Hotline.
We can answer your questions on the Hartland landfill, composting, household hazardous waste, recycling and more!
t: 250.360.3030
toll-free: 1.800.663.4425 #3030