Manassas, Virginia-Area Business Keeps Tons of Waste From Landfills

Sept. 3, 2010 - PRLog -- Manassas, VA - Think of the construction and home industry for a moment. What is one thing that comes to mind? If its garbage and construction scrap, you are not alone. According to the EPA, renovation of existing structures and keeping them up to date is estimated to generate over 40 percent of total construction and demolition debris. Combine renovation waste with the debris from new construction and the volume continues to rise.

The leaders at Manassas, Virginia-based Southland Insulators came to the rescue of Mother Earth in 1998 - before “going green” was popular. President Jerry Palmer and his team instituted a recycling program to dramatically reduce the waste generated through insulation projects.

“People want to help the environment and need help doing so,” Palmer shared. “We give our customers the opportunity to make a ‘green’ decision with no effort on their part. We don’t just talk the talk, we also walk the walk.”

Southland’s extensive recycling program includes:

•   Southland’s team bringing back all trash and scraps from jobs they install, rather than filling a dumpster at the project location.
•   Fiberglass insulation pieces are separated from other scrap. These pieces are ground up to make blowing wool for installation in attics.
•   Cardboard is separated and compacted for recycling.
•   Plastic from the insulation packaging is also separated and compacted.
•   The 50-gallon steel drums from their foam division is dripped dry and crushed to six inches high and recycled as scrap steel.
•   All wood pallets received from various manufacturers are returned to Greenfiber, a cellulose insulation manufacturer, to reload their product on for future deliveries.

Although these may seem like small efforts, reducing waste on each project creates a significant environmental impact:
•   Southland Insulators delivers regular loads of 5,000 to 8,000 pounds of plastic from insulation packaging to Virginia recycling center rather than to landfills.
•   They have sent over a quarter of a million pounds of scrap to recyclers, rather than to local landfills.

Southland Insulators welcomes the public to visit their Manassas, Virginia location to learn more about their recycling program. To schedule a tour, please call 703-368-1965 during normal business hours.

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About Southland Insulators: Since their beginning in 1986, Southland Insulators has established an enviable reputation for quality and achievement in residential insulation. Southland was one of the first contractors to be accepted into the National Association of Home Builders, Research Center Certified Contractor program. In 1999, they were named “Contractor of the Year”, and became the first contractor to be selected two years in a row. We have done this by being focused on what they know: the insulation business. They are constantly working to stay ahead of the curve as energy conservation plays an ever-important role in customer’s homes.

Though their history they have become the largest independent insulation contractor in the state of Virginia. They are NAHB Certified, BPI Certified and are trained and certified energy auditors. For more information, visit www.southlandinsulators.com.