THE ARMSTRONG CEILING RECYCLING PROGRAM…BY THE NUMBERS

In 1999, Armstrong launched the nation’s first Ceiling Recycling Program that enables building owners to send old, discarded ceiling tiles from renovation projects to one of its ceiling plants instead of to a landfill.

Under the program, Armstrong even pays freight costs for shipping the old ceilings, which it uses as raw materials in the manufacture of new ceilings.

Since then, the program has recycled over 35,000,000 square feet of old ceilings. But, its true measure of success is the reduction in global warming potential and environmental impact. Consider the numbers:

  • 245,000,000 Pounds of virgin material saved.
  • 34,300,000 Kilowatt hours of electricity saved. Enough to power 35,000 typical single family homes for a month.
  • 24,500,000 Pounds of construction waste eliminated from landfills.
  • 12,250,000 Gallons of potable water saved. Enough to fill over 300,000 standard bathtubs.
  • 11,200,000 Kilograms CO2 equivalence of greenhouse gases eliminated. Equivalent to eliminating emissions of a car making 6,000 coast-to-coast trips.
  • 5,000 30-cubic-yard dumpsters full of discarded ceiling tiles not taken to landfills.

The process for recycling old ceilings, which can contribute to LEED®

MR Credits 2.1, 2.2, 4.1, 4.2, has proven to be nearly as fast as dumping them, so the program has little adverse impact on demolition schedules. It can also be less costly than the cost of local handling, transport, container and landfill fees.

Program Involves Four Steps

The program involves four steps. First, provisions for ceiling recycling should be included in the project specifications. A guide specification can be downloaded at armstrong.com/environmental.

Second, building owners or contractors need to verify with Armstrong that their old ceiling tiles can be recycled. The old tiles do not have to be Armstrong products to qualify for the program.

Following verification, owners or contractors must stack the old ceiling tiles on pallets and shrink wrap or tightly band them for pick-up. More detailed information on packaging procedures as well as other material handling options and the availability of consolidation locations for less-than-truckload quantities is available from Armstrong.

Once there is a full trailer load of old ceilings (30,000 square feet), the owner or contractor simply needs to contact Armstrong, which will then arrange for a truck to pick up the material and transfer it to its nearest manufacturing facility. Armstrong will pay the freight for shipment to the plant.

To obtain additional information on the Ceiling Recycling Program, call 1-877-ARMSTRONG (1-877-276-7876) or visit armstrong.com/environmental.

Armstrong Holdings, Inc. is the parent company of Armstrong World Industries, Inc., a global leader in the design and manufacture of floors, ceilings and cabinets. In 2005, Armstrong’s net sales totaled nearly $4 billion. Based in Lancaster, PA, Armstrong operates 41 plants in 12 countries and has approximately 14,600 employees worldwide.

Armstrong World Industries, Inc. is a global leader in the design and manufacture of floors, ceilings and cabinets. In 2005, Armstrong’s net sales totaled $3.6 billion. Based in Lancaster, PA, Armstrong operates 43 plants in 12 countries and has approximately 14,500 employees worldwide.