Thanks to Chair Dan Horton for hosting another successful meeting on August 12th! He updated the group on plans for developing a lifecycle analysis of recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) in a cooperative effort among the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association, CDRA, and the National Asphalt Paving Association (NAPA). CDRA members will provide the data needed for the effort. An oversight committee will be established, comprising representatives from each participating organization. Dan will serve as one representative for CDRA, while a Northstar staff person and one other individual will represent our association. More information will follow in the coming months. 

Dan also updated the group on plans to develop the program for our next Shingle Recycling Forum and encouraged others to get involved with the task force, which is currently forming. The Forum is expected to take place in the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina. More details will be shared in October, and the event date is expected to be confirmed by the end of the year. Other projects are also in the planning stage, including revisions to the Shingle Recycling Processing Best Practices Guidelines and updates to the state-by-state C&D reporting data related to the use of RAS and other materials. These and other projects will be considered during the FY2026 budgeting process. And finally, the group will work to further improve the listings on the new Find-A-Recycler feature at www.shinglerecycling.org in the coming months. 

Next, Dan presented a “state of the industry” report that explored the current NAPA  Asphalt Pavement Industry Survey on Recycled Materials and Warm-Mix Asphalt Usage 2023, which includes trend data related to the use of recycled asphalt shingles. A notable positive development is that the market for recycled asphalt shingles in hot-mix asphalt has increased significantly since 2018. A higher national recycling rate was reported compared to 2018, although there is still considerable room for growth. Between 2022 and 2023, there was a significant increase in the number of tons of processed shingles accepted from recyclers by hot mix asphalt (HMA) plants, which is an encouraging trend. A map depicting the use of RAS in mix designs in individual states was shared next, with all but five states allowing the use of RAS in at least some mix designs (data is based on 2023 activity). However, though we appear to be selling more material overall, fewer state transportation departments are using RAS in their paving. The majority of the recycled asphalt shingle utilization in the USA came from 7 states, with nearly half (24) of the states reporting use of RAS, which means there is an opportunity for industry professionals to advocate locally for their use in HMA, and an ample supply is generally available.  As the adoption of Balanced Mix Design becomes more common, the opportunity for sales to the Department of Transportation in these states is projected to increase.

Dan offered to share a copy of the full report with committee members following the meeting, and he welcomed all members to learn more about the opportunities available to recyclers of asphalt shingles. He also announced future committee meeting programming, which includes equipment reviews and technical sessions planned for late 2025 and beyond.