Disposal of Ceiling Tile

Old ceiling tile should be disposed or recycled.

The process is straightforward and will require some physical labor to move the tile and a little legwork to find out your best disposal option.

1. Contact your town's department of public works and ask what the policy is on ceiling tile disposal. Find out if there's a limit to how much tile you can dispose of, or if the town regulates tile material.

2. Dispose of your ceiling tile using your town's preferred method. In Missouri, Ramsay County allows homeowners to bag ceiling tile in household trash bags and leave it at the curb for curbside collection on trash day. Some towns may have you drive it to a landfill or place other sanctions on ceiling tile disposal.

3. Call a professional asbestos cleaner to remove the ceiling tile if it contains asbestos. Do not dispose of it in your household trash. Improper disposal of asbestos can leach toxic chemicals into the ground or air.

4. Recycle ceiling tile through tile manufacturer Armstrong's ceiling tile recycling program. Find an affiliate recycler near you using Armstrong's local resources directory or by calling 877-276-7876. If you want to reduce landfill waste, this is a better option than disposing of the tiles in the trash. The recycled tile gets reused for new ceiling tile.

Tip

The Environmental Protection Agency notes there's no way to tell if ceiling tile contains asbestos. The material was common in ceiling tiles installed pre-1970s. If you think your tile contains asbestos, call a professional asbestos remover and arrange to have your material sampled.