Armstrong World Industries says its Ceiling Recycling Program has saved more than 100 million sq. ft. of old ceiling tiles from going to landfills since launching the program in 1999

Michelle Rivera

LANCASTER, Pennsylvania , March 8, 2011 (press release) – Armstrong World Industries (NYSE:AWI - News), the world's largest manufacturer of acoustical ceilings, announced today that its Ceiling Recycling Program has now diverted more than 100 million square feet of old ceiling tiles from landfills.

The recycling program, which is the nation's first and longest running program of its kind, enables building owners to ship ceilings from renovation projects to the nearest Armstrong ceiling plant as an alternative to landfill disposal.

Under the program, the company pays the freight costs for shipping the old ceilings, which it uses as raw materials in the manufacture of new ceilings.

Since it introduced the program in 1999, Armstrong has recycled over 50,000 tons of discarded mineral fiber ceiling tiles. This represents more than 14,000 dumpsters full of construction waste that would have normally been taken to landfills.

Among the companies and organizations that have already participated in the program are Microsoft, Pfizer, Nike, Food Lion, National Security Agency, The World Bank, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and Penn State University.

"The Ceiling Recycling Program is designed to help reduce the impact on the environment by redirecting used ceiling tiles from landfills back to Armstrong," states Joann Davis-Brayman, Vice President of Marketing for Commercial Ceilings. "This creates a closed loop manufacturing process and offers a valuable end to what typically would have been discarded."

According to Davis-Brayman, the process for recycling old ceilings has proven to be nearly as fast as dumping them, so the program has little impact on construction schedules. It also can be less costly than dumping because it eliminates landfill fees, container costs, and the expense associated with transportation to the landfill.

For more information on ceiling recycling, call 1-877-ARMSTRONG (1-877-276-7876) or visit armstrong.com/recycling.

Armstrong World Industries, Inc. is a global leader in the design and manufacture of floors, ceilings and cabinets. In 2010, Armstrong consolidated net sales totaled approximately $2.8 billion. Based in Lancaster, PA, Armstrong operates 35 plants in nine countries and has approximately 9,800 employees worldwide. For more information, visit www.armstrong.com.

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