New Year’s resolutions are synonymous with a fresh start or a clean slate. While health is usually number one, people are also choosing to recycle or reduce waste to help keep the earth clean and counteract climate change warnings. The World Bank estimates that 2.1 billion metric tons of municipal waste was generated globally in 2022, which doesn’t include industrial waste! Eco-friendly products help cut down on national and global waste.

Besides recycling, you can cut down by buying or supporting eco-friendly products. Euroshield’s commitment to going green goes one step further. Euroshield shingles are made using recycled rubber from tires, keeping millions of these non-biodegradable materials out of landfills. They are also one of the most durable roofing materials on the market! Let’s look at why.

How Much Roofing Waste Ends Up In Landfills?

In 2021, thousands of Indiana homes and businesses needed new roofs after several powerful spring and summer storms caused massive hail damage. This prompted a local news team to investigate how much old roofing material was ending up in landfills. What they uncovered was astonishing. Instead of asphalt shingles going to recycling plants in the area, it was all dumped into landfills. And no one was the wiser. Truth is, only half of U.S. states recycle roofing waste, while Colorado regulators declared that asphalt shingles are not recyclable and have shut down a recycling facility for violations.

Asphalt shingles are made of different organic materials, and recycling them can be tricky. Asphalt shingles start as a piece of fabric coated in asphalt made from crude oil and topped with tiny rocks, minerals, metals, and a fiberglass coating for fire resistance. The asphalt shingles are ground into a fine powder and mixed into asphalt for roads and paving. But even then, a 2022 Business Insider report revealed only 10% of the 13 million tons of shingles removed annually in America are reused or recycled.

The EPA estimates that 90% of asphalt shingles and roofing materials end up in our landfills annually. In case you're wondering, paper and food occupy the most space in our landfills at 44%. But paper is biodegradable. Petroleum-based shingles take up to 400 years to fully decompose, leaching toxic materials. To help prevent and combat landfill capacity issues, Euroshield created an eco-friendly roofing product that would never end up in a landfill.

Eco-Friendly Shingles Made From Recycled Rubber

Tires are yet another problem in global landfills. Nearly 300 million tires are discarded in landfills annually. Not only does it take hundreds of years for tires to break down, but they also release toxic chemicals as they degrade. However, when properly recycled, tires can be turned into mulch, fine rubber powder, and crumb rubber for sports fields, landscaping, playgrounds, molded products, and shingles.

Euroshield shingles are made from 95% recycled material, 70% of which comes from recycled tires. Virgin crumb rubber comes from recycled tires that have the steel and fiber components removed, then cleaned and ground into small pieces. Euroshield then takes that crumb rubber, combines it with a proprietary mix of ingredients, and injects it into the molding. It's then power pressed, and the final pieces are hand trimmed.

Around 300 tires are required to cover a typical single-family residential home in North America. To date, Euroshield has helped divert 3.5 million tires from landfills in North America. The best part? Euroshield's innovative shingles are also recyclable! So these sustainable shingles will never contribute to landfill waste again.

Why Choose A Rubber Shingle?

Rubber is a durable, low-maintenance, and beautiful solution for roofing shingles. Besides helping homeowners and business owners feel good about protecting the environment, Euroshield shingles are one the most cost-effective roofing materials available. They are hail-proof (Class 4 UL2218 Impact resistance), with stunning results from testing, and wind-resistant (ASTM D3161). Here are a few other reasons to consider choosing Euroshield shingles:

• Energy efficient - Euroshield shingles provide insulation that can help reduce energy bills.
• Resistant to common roof problems - generally, Euroshield shingles won’t peel, crack, rot, or fade.
• Structurally sound - Euroshield shingles have a unique tongue and groove interlocking panel system that provides superior protection from wind damage.
• Sound protection - the rubber helps deaden outside noise.

Euroshield shingles come with a class-leading warranty. Compared with the 15 to 20-year lifespan of traditional roofs, Euroshield roofs can last 50 years thanks to the rubber material. On top of this, Euroshield provides a 50-year warranty against hail two inches or less in diameter. Euroshield’s Vermont Slate HP shingles are warranted against hail damage of any size for the first 20 years!

Euroshield Shingles Are the Best Roofing Material

Euroshield shingles protect your home while also conserving our planet. Check out our product line if you’re looking for a sustainable, long-lasting roof that can withstand several hail storms. Euroshield

shingles are available in a few different slate and shake styles that are authentic, bold, luxurious, and photo-realistic. They’ll also help keep your family safe for decades! Request an estimate or find an installer in your area.