When it comes to sustainability in commercial roofing, PVC membranes are leading the charge. Manufacturers have made major strides in reducing waste before products ever leave their facilities. In fact, more than 99% of production scraps are captured and recycled into new roofing materials, leaving less than one-half percent of raw materials wasted. This “pre-consumer” recycling is a significant win, but the roofing industry isn’t stopping there.
Giving Old Roofs New Purpose
Once a PVC roof reaches the end of its service life, it doesn’t need to end up in a landfill. The industry is pushing for more post-consumer recycling, and that effort depends on collaboration from building owners, property managers, and roofing contractors. With participation from everyone involved, these aging roofing materials can be collected, processed, and reused in a variety of ways…including new roofing systems.
Since tracking began in 2014, roughly 200 million pounds of PVC roofing material have been kept out of landfills. In 2024 alone, more than 10 million square feet of post-consumer PVC roofing were recycled. Even with those impressive numbers, there’s still plenty of work to do.
Breaking Down the Barriers
Some building stakeholders hesitate to take on roof recycling because the process seems unfamiliar or costly. That’s why the Vinyl Roofing Division of the Chemical Fabrics and Film Association is working hard to educate and inform. Their goal is to make the recycling process easy to understand and simple to implement.
To help drive these efforts, the organization has brought in industry veterans Brian Whelan of Roof Resources and Richard Krock of VyChlor Advisors. With over 30 years each in roofing and sustainability, both are passionate about helping property teams understand the practical value of recycling.
“There’s a big gap in awareness,” Whelan says. “Some people don’t know roof recycling is an option. Others are interested but unsure of the steps involved or how much it might cost.”
A Simple Process That Makes a Big Impact
To help demystify the process, the association created a short animated video that outlines the key steps in recycling PVC roofing. It shows how, with just a few extra steps, old roof membranes can be removed, bundled, and transported for recycling.
Kicking off the recycling process starts with a team meeting to align on logistics, storage, and handling of the used material. Many crews use the same cardboard tubes that came with the new rolls to re-roll the old membrane. The membrane is then cut into sections and loaded onto pallets. From there, contractors use a variety of stacking techniques to safely secure the material (including pyramid stacks, log cabin layouts, and others) to make sure the bundles can be safely lowered from the roof and loaded onto flatbeds for transport.
Maximizing how much fits on a truck is key to reducing costs and lowering the overall carbon footprint of the project.
Why It Matters
In addition to launching the video, the Vinyl Roofing Division has submitted a research paper to the National Institute for Standards and Testing. This study highlights the carbon reduction benefits of recycling PVC roofing and was first presented at the 2025 REMADE Institute conference in Washington, D.C.
The report offers hard numbers that property owners can reference when considering roof recycling as part of their ESG goals or green building certifications. Even for buildings without certification, the act of recycling can still be included in sustainability reporting.
PVC roof membranes can be recycled into new membranes, walkway pads, or accessories as part of a closed-loop system. In open-loop recycling, the material is repurposed for entirely different products like flooring or expansion joints. Both approaches help cut waste and support environmental goals.
What About the Cost?
Naturally, building owners want to understand the financial side. Since each project is different, there’s no universal price tag. That’s why experts like Krock recommend adding a recycling line item to your bid request. This allows decision-makers to see the actual cost upfront and decide whether to include it.
“It’s not always expensive,” says Krock. “But pricing it out and including it as part of the project scope is the best way to make an informed decision.”
Whelan agrees. “There’s value in recycling a roof. It’s the right thing to do and sends a strong message about community responsibility and sustainable leadership.”
Ready to explore sustainable solutions for your next roofing project?
Connect with CP Rankin to learn how we can help you reduce waste, meet ESG goals, and recycle smarter. Let’s work together to build better, cleaner, and greener roofs for the future. Reach out to our team today.