Frost King “No Itch” Insulation is made from 100% recycled denim. This insulation can be used for insulation, cushioning and noise dampening. It’s nonirritating, so there’s no need for gloves, goggles or masks when installing—and it can be easily torn and ripped to fit in between joists and around pipes and ducts. It is made entirely of recyclable materials that are resistant to mold, mildew and fire.
Econyl
nylon yarn is produced in Slovenia from post-consumer waste materials such as fishing nets and textiles. It uses a chemical process that “un-zips” nylon 6 molecules from landfill fodder and returns the molecules to their monomer state. The resulting organic compound can then be turned into new nylon 6 polymers which are identical to the ones made from crude oil. The process can be repeated an infinite number of times with no loss in quality. South Carolina-based carpet company Milliken is one purveyor that has embraced Econyl.
IceStone
mimics the look of terrazzo, a composite traditionally made with small pieces of marble or granite. Instead of mined stone, however, IceStone uses post-consumer glass from industrial recycling facilities. Each year, this 16-year-old Brooklyn-based company diverts about a million pounds of glass from the waste stream. They sort the glass by color, grind it into fine particles and combine it with Portland cement and non-toxic pigments. The resulting surface is both heat and scratch-resistant.
The Jelinek Cork Corp started reusing wine corks that were rejected by quality control at its Portugese production facility. These castoff corks are shipped to Savannah, Georgia where they are sliced into pieces and laid in a grid. Jelinek calls it “cork mosaic flooring.” Floors made from these cork tiles are dense, naturally hypoallergenic and impervious to surface moisture. Install this tile just like you would ceramic tile—glue then grout.
Ceilume’s
thermoformed ceiling tiles are made of 100-percent recycled plastic manufacturing scrap. The Sonoma County, California-based company also recycles all of its own production waste and takes back scrap from customers, creating a closed-loop lifecycle.
Moreno Valley, California-based EMC makes interlocking tiles from 100 percent post-consumer waste tires. The resulting tiles are lightweight, slip-resistant, puncture-resistant and come in 17 colors,
Amazon Environmental recycles good-quality surplus paint and then processes it into recycled-content latex paint. It’s available in 20 shades for interior and exterior applications. Amazon also processes non-reusable paint into Processed Latex Pigment, an ingredient used in cement manufacturing. The company has no connection with the bookseller-turned-behemoth retailer.
Since 2012, Ohio-based Advanced Drainage Systems has been making its “Mega Green” high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe with up to 60 percent post-consumer recycled HDPE. In 2018, the company marked an impressive milestone: 1 billion pounds of plastic reprocessed into its “Mega Green” potable water pipes.
Malarkey Roofing Products, in South Gate, California, says it has diverted 104,167 end-of-life tires from landfills in its production of Ecoasis Nex Shingles. The shingles also include 3M Smog-Reducing Granules.
Columbus, Mississippi-based Saturn Materials makes brick, veneer, pavers and structural blocks with alkali ash material, a fly ash-based cement. The bricks are completely safe to use because a chemical reaction happens when the fly ash is mixed with the cement. The material is so safe that some builders even use it for kitchen countertops.
Higbee, Missouri-based FilterPave claims its product is twice as porous as asphalt, four times as porous as conventional pavers, it helps filter pollutants from stormwater and also prevents erosion. The material, made with tumbled pebbles of post-consumer recycled glass, is laid on a deep bed of gravel. The lifespan of the pavement is about the same as asphalt. A special topcoat prevents UV rays from breaking down the glue.
This is fantastic- for many would be self-builders these are the types of solutions we are looking for. And inspiration for what we might be able to do on a homemade, DIY method ourselves with what is otherwise viewed as garbage.