Utah roofs
Where Do Old Roof Shingles Go in Utah? Tear-Off Waste, Recycling, and When Restoration Makes Sense
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When a Utah roof is replaced, the old shingles have to go somewhere. On most re-roofs, they come off in sheets and chunks, get thrown into a trailer or dumpster in the driveway, and are hauled away the same week. Most homeowners never think about where that load ends up. If you care about waste, or you’re simply trying to decide between replacing and restoring an older roof, it’s worth knowing.
This guide from The NuRoof Guys covers what national data says about old asphalt shingles, how Utah’s solid waste rules classify roofing debris, what recycling options exist, and when restoring a sound roof instead of tearing it off is a reasonable choice. We’ve kept verified facts, manufacturer claims, and our own interpretation separate so you can weigh each one.
How much asphalt shingle waste is there?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tracks construction and demolition (C&D) debris, and asphalt shingles are one of the materials it measures. In its Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: 2018 Fact Sheet (published December 2020), EPA estimated:
- 15.1 million tons of asphalt shingle debris generated in 2018 (1.2 million tons from construction and 13.9 million tons from demolition)
- 13.0 million tons of that sent to landfills
- 2.1 million tons directed to a “next use,” almost all of it (2.0 million tons) into manufactured products
EPA’s summary puts it plainly: “Landfills were the primary destination for C&D debris wood, asphalt shingles, gypsum drywall and brick and clay tile.”
By our math, that’s roughly 86 percent of asphalt shingle debris going to landfills in 2018. These are national estimates, not Utah figures, and EPA’s data counts all asphalt shingle debris, not just residential re-roofs.
Where tear-off shingles go in Utah
Utah’s solid waste rules don’t single out shingles, but they do define the category roofing debris generally falls into. Utah Administrative Code R315-301-2 defines “construction or demolition waste” as “solid waste from building materials, packaging, and rubble resulting from construction, remodeling, repair, abatement, rehabilitation, renovation, and demolition operations on pavements, houses, commercial buildings, and other structures.”
The same rule defines Class IV (non-commercial) and Class VI (commercial) landfills as facilities permitted to receive for disposal only construction or demolition waste and a short list of other materials, such as yard waste and inert waste.
What that means for you (our interpretation): on a typical Northern Utah re-roof, the old shingles are handled as construction debris and hauled by the contractor or a dumpster company to a facility that accepts that kind of waste. Which facility, and whether any of it is recycled, depends on the hauler and your area. If it matters to you, ask your contractor before the job starts: “Where does the tear-off go?”
Can old shingles be recycled?
Yes, where a market exists. EPA’s documentation for its Waste Reduction Model (WARM, construction materials chapters, May 2019) says: “Used or scrap asphalt shingles can be recycled into many types of applications in hot and cold mix asphalt, as an aggregate base for road development, as mulch, as a fuel source, or into new roofing materials.” It adds that using shingles in hot mix asphalt “is the most common process to which recycled shingles are added.”
Recycling depends on clean loads (shingles separated from wood, metal, and trash) and on a local processor that accepts them. Availability varies, so ask rather than assume.
Repair, restore, or replace: where the waste question fits
Waste shouldn’t be the only reason you pick a roof option. The condition of your roof comes first.
Repair fixes a specific problem, like a leak, a cracked pipe boot, lifted flashing, or a few damaged shingles. It keeps most of the roof in place and creates very little debris.
Restore is for asphalt shingle roofs that are aging but still sound. The NuRoof Guys are an authorized GoNano installer in Utah, and GoNano restoration is a treatment applied to the existing shingles. Because nothing is torn off for that project, no shingles leave the house in a trailer. That’s the honest sustainability point. Restoration is one step in a maintenance plan. It doesn’t make an old roof new, and every asphalt roof is eventually replaced.
Rejuvenation is not right for every roof. Shingles that are brittle, badly curled, missing large patches of granules, or sitting on soft or damaged decking aren’t candidates, and we’ll tell you so. Our guide on whether your Utah roof is a candidate for rejuvenation walks through the signs.
Replace is the right call when the roof has failed: repeated leaks, widespread damage, soft decking, or shingles too far gone. In that case, a tear-off is necessary, and the best you can do is ask how the debris will be handled. Our post on repair, restore, or replace compares the three in more detail.
What GoNano says (manufacturer claims)
GoNano makes the case for rejuvenation as a lower-waste option in its own sustainability article. It describes its approach as starting from “a bio-oil/soybean foundation that replenishes the oils aging shingles lose.” Those are the manufacturer’s statements, not independent findings. We haven’t repeated GoNano’s waste-per-home or disposal-fee figures here because we couldn’t match them to a primary source. If you want product details, such as safety data around landscaping or pets, ask for them in writing before you sign.
Verified fact vs. marketing vs. interpretation
- Verified (primary sources): EPA’s 2018 asphalt shingle generation, landfill, and next-use tonnages and its “primary destination” statement; EPA WARM’s list of shingle recycling uses; Utah’s R315-301-2 definitions of construction or demolition waste and Class IV/VI landfills.
- Marketing: GoNano’s description of its treatment and its sustainability claims.
- Interpretation (ours): that tear-off shingles on a typical Utah re-roof are handled as construction debris; the roughly 86 percent landfill share (our arithmetic from EPA’s table); and that restoring a sound roof avoids tear-off debris for that project.
Questions to ask before any roof project
- Is my roof a repair, restoration, or replacement candidate, and why? Ask for photos.
- If it’s a replacement, where does the tear-off go, and is any of it recycled?
- Is debris removal and disposal listed in the written bid? (Our post on why Utah roof bids feel higher covers what moves a bid total, disposal included.)
- Does my insurance policy treat repairs, restoration, and replacement differently? Our Utah homeowners insurance roof checklist can help.
Please check your roof from the ground, from the yard, the street, or with binoculars. Don’t climb a ladder or walk the roof yourself. Leave that to a crew with proper fall protection.
Get an honest answer about your roof
The NuRoof Guys serve homeowners across Utah, with a focus on Northern Utah and the Wasatch Front. We’ll inspect your roof, show you photos, and tell you plainly whether it needs a repair, is a candidate for restoration, or needs to be replaced.
Email [email protected] or request your free roof inspection online.
Sources
- U.S. EPA, Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: 2018 Fact Sheet (December 2020), Tables 6 and 8 and C&D management text. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-01/documents/2018_ff_fact_sheet_dec_2020_fnl_508.pdf
- U.S. EPA, Documentation for Greenhouse Gas Emission and Energy Factors Used in the Waste Reduction Model (WARM): Construction Materials Chapters (May 2019), Asphalt Shingles, Recycling. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2019-06/documents/warm_v15_construction_materials.pdf
- Utah Admin. Code R315-301-2, Definitions (Class IV Landfill, Class VI Landfill, Construction or demolition waste). https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/utah/Utah-Admin-Code-R315-301-2
- GoNano, “The Sustainability Case for Roof Rejuvenation (and the Rising Cost of a Tear-Off)” (October 13, 2026). https://gonano.com/en/blog/roof-rejuvenation-sustainability
Sources retrieved October 28, 2026. This article is general information, not legal or environmental compliance advice.
GoNano is a trademark of its owner.
Frequently asked questions
What happens to old roof shingles after a tear-off in Utah?
On a typical re-roof they’re hauled away as construction debris. Utah’s rules define construction or demolition waste and permit Class IV and Class VI landfills to receive it. Where your load goes depends on the hauler, so ask your contractor.
Are most old asphalt shingles recycled?
Not nationally. EPA estimated that of 15.1 million tons of asphalt shingle debris generated in 2018, 13.0 million tons went to landfills and 2.1 million tons went to a next use.
Can asphalt shingles be recycled?
Yes, where a processor accepts them. EPA’s WARM documentation lists uses including hot and cold mix asphalt, road aggregate base, mulch, fuel, and new roofing materials, with hot mix asphalt the most common.
Is roof restoration a more sustainable option than replacement?
For a sound asphalt roof, restoration keeps the existing shingles in place, so that project creates no tear-off debris. It isn’t right for every roof, and a failed roof still needs repair or replacement.
How do I know if my roof can be restored instead of replaced?
Start with an inspection. The NuRoof Guys will check the roof, show you photos, and tell you whether it’s a repair, restoration, or replacement candidate.