As Part of Ceiling Recycling Program, Armstrong Pays for Shipment to Plant; Company Uses Old Ceilings in Manufacture of New
Ones A new program for recycling old ceilings makes it easy and affordable for building owners to follow green building practices
and even become models for safeguarding the environment -- all at virtually no cost.
Armstrong World Industries, the world's leading producer of acoustical ceilings, has streamlined its Ceiling Recycling Program,
the first of its kind to offer recycling as an earth-friendly alternative to disposing of old commercial ceilings.
The Armstrong Ceiling Recycling Program enables building owners to quickly and easily ship old ceilings from renovation projects
to an Armstrong ceiling plant as an alternative to harmful landfill disposal. Under the program, Armstrong even pays freight
costs for shipping the old ceilings, which it uses as raw materials in the manufacture of new, high-performance acoustical
ceilings.
The program involves three simple steps. First, building owners need to verify with Armstrong that their old ceiling tiles
can be recycled. Neither the old nor the new replacement ceilings need to be Armstrong products to qualify for the program.
Following verification, they must stack their old ceiling tiles on pallets and wrap them for pick-up. More detailed information
on packaging procedures is available from Armstrong.
Once there is a full trailer load of old ceilings, the owner simply needs to contact Armstrong. The company will then work
with the owner to arrange for a truck to pick up the material anywhere in the continental United States and transfer it to
its nearest manufacturing facility. Armstrong will pay the freight for shipment to the plant.
In a recent time analysis, the process for recycling old ceilings proved to be nearly as fast as dumping them, so the program
should have little, if any, adverse impact on larger demolition schedules. It can also be less expensive than the cost of
local handling, transport, dumpster fees and landfill fees.
A number of environmentally sensitive corporations--such as Microsoft, General Motors and others--have already benefited from
the Ceiling Recycling Program in their attempts to cut back on landfill disposal of building materials.
The program is a natural extension of Armstrong's larger, core commitment to environmentally sound business practices. All
Armstrong ceilings, for example, contain recycled materials, and many consist of more than two-thirds recycled content.
While a portion of the content is old scrap ceiling material, Armstrong also uses waste products from other industries to
manufacture its new ceilings. Most of that waste is in the form of old newspapers and other newsprint, and a by-product of
steel production called "mineral wool."
In addition to its recycling efforts, Armstrong manufactures its ceilings in ways the Federal government recognizes as having
minimal environmental impact. Its ceilings have also long been an industry leader in long-term sustainability, thereby minimizing
the need for frequent replacement and disposal. These environmental initiatives and others were recognized when Armstrong
won the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. It is the only building products organization ever to do so.
To obtain additional information on the Ceiling Recycling Program or to obtain a copy of Armstrong's "Ceiling Recycling Program"
brochure, call 1-877-ARMSTRONG (1-877-276-7876) or visit www.armstrong.com on the Internet. Armstrong World Industries, Inc., is a manufacturer and marketer of interior furnishings. Its products include
acoustical ceilings and grid systems as well as floor coverings and installation products. Through its Architectural Specialties
Group, Armstrong also provides custom ceiling capabilities, including wood ceilings, metal ceilings and fully integrated ceiling
solutions for areas such as corridors and ceiling perimeters. In 1999, company sales were approximately $3.4 billion.
