TOLEDO, Ohio, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Owens Corning (NYSE: OC) today announced through its Roofing business that it will provide a new program that simplifies recycling asphalt shingles for its Preferred Roofing Contractors. The company is the first roofing manufacturer to connect contractors with convenient recycling facilities through a national strategic alliance.

Based on a pilot conducted in Indiana, Owens Corning will roll out the program nationally, starting in the Midwest. As part of the program, contractors pledge to recycle their shingle tear-offs. In addition to keeping shingle waste out of landfills, contractors benefit by promoting sustainable business practices to homeowners.

"While the technology exists to recycle asphalt shingles, we are making it efficient and cost-effective for our contractors," said Sheree Bargabos, president of Owens Corning Roofing and Asphalt, LLC. "This program makes recycling easy, and provides our contractor network with an opportunity to clearly differentiate themselves by providing a complete roofing system including a sustainable end-of-life recycling option for old shingles."

Owens Corning is working with Heritage Environmental Services, the largest privately-held environmental services company in the United States. Heritage will provide dedicated, convenient drop-off centers that will recycle and process shingle tear-offs.

"Millions of tons of asphalt roofing shingles are sent to landfills every year, wasting valuable resources such as asphalt and aggregate," said Bill McDaniel, president and chief executive officer, Heritage Environmental Services LLC. "With the combined efforts of Heritage and Owens Corning, material that would have been wasted will now be reused and made into roads."

Recycling glass-based asphalt shingles is a cost-effective alternative to producing new asphalt and helps preserve resources. Last year the Asphalt Institute estimated that the asphalt from recycled shingles has a potential value of more than $1 billion, which is variable upon the price of asphalt.

"At Owens Corning, we are constantly seeking solutions that carry economic, environmental and social benefits. This new program is the perfect example of carefully considered product life-cycle management, from conception of design and manufacture to durable service and end-of-life recycling," said Owens Corning Chief Sustainability Officer, Frank O'Brien-Bernini. "We are proud to be the first roofing manufacturer to help create an infrastructure to increase shingle recycling and material reuse across the country."

About Owens Corning

Owens Corning (NYSE: OC) is a leading global producer of residential and commercial building materials, glass fiber reinforcements and engineered materials for composite systems. A Fortune 500 Company for 55 consecutive years, Owens Corning is committed to driving sustainability through delivering solutions, transforming markets and enhancing lives. Founded in 1938, Owens Corning is a market-leading innovator of glass-fiber technology with sales of $6 billion in 2008 and about 16,000 employees in 30 countries on five continents. Additional information is available at www.owenscorning.com.

About Heritage Environmental Services

Heritage Environmental Services is the largest privately-held environmental services company in the U.S. providing solutions for recycling, treatment and disposal of byproducts from commercial and industrial activities throughout North America. Since 1970, Heritage Environmental Services has created a sustainable business transforming reusable materials. Additional information is available at www.heritage-enviro.com.

SOURCE Owens Corning