Recycle C&D Debris - Conclusion

Sponsored by:

Recycle Construction and Demolition (C&D) Debris

Construction Waste Handbook

Worksheet Economics

C&D Resources

Education Program

Conclusion
The Houston-Galveston area is building 36,000 homes a year. It will do so for the next ten years. In fact, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), in a 2002 study, estimated that the 13 counties in the Houston-Galveston Area Council would run out of landfill capacity in the year 2016. A newer study June 2005 estimates the date at 2036 if every planned landfill expansion is executed. Our costs are going to rise. We are dependent upon our builders to address the C & D waste issue. The three R's still apply: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

Reduce C&D Waste
New buildings generate large amounts of waste, especially wood waste. According to a study conducted by the Houston Advanced Research Center, a new 8,000 square foot single-family home creates more than 44 tons of waste, almost 40% of which is wood. Efficient wood use stretches the limited supply of wood products, reduces the pressure on forests from logging, and saves you money. A waste reduction plan can:

Reduce the amount of waste generated during construction.
Reduce disposal fees and construction costs.
Provide a safe, clean site.

Builders can:

Design to use less. Evaluate the design to see if there are ways to increase the efficiency of materials used.
Use standard lumber or drywall dimensions.
Buy only as much material as you need to get the job done.
Salvage and reuse items that are in good condition such as doors, cabinets, and equipment.
Encourage reduction of packaging waste. Ask suppliers to deliver products in returnable pallets and containers.
Store lumber on level blocking and cover to minimize warping, twisting, and waste.
Measure carefully. Use a central cutting area. Smaller lengths can be used for spacers or blocking or left for firewood. Save clean sawdust for compost or mulch.
Make subcontractors responsible for their own waste. Include waste reduction in subcontract specifications.
Use alternative materials, such as engineered wood products, which can be ordered to the exact size you need.

Reuse
Renovating an existing structure rather than building a new one is one of the best ways to reduce material waste. Renovation avoids wasted energy from the manufacture, transport, and assembly of new building materials.

Salvage of materials is usually more cost effective than disposal, but this depends on local markets for resale or reuse of materials. It is a good idea to go over the building with someone from a local salvage business (listed in the Yellow Pages under "Demolition Contractors," "Salvage," or "Building Materials - Used").

As an example, you might never think of reusing blueprints. Blueprints can be cut into scratch pads or used at a preschool for art classes. Look for other ways to reuse materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill.

Material Exchanges
Another way you can divert wastes from landfills is to locate a local Material Exchange. These exchanges connect businesses that have unwanted but usable materials with businesses that need those materials. The benefits of exchanges include reduction of disposal costs, acquisition of inexpensive raw materials, and decreased use of landfills.

Builders can:

Identify salvage opportunities.
Avoid ownership problems with salvage materials, sign clearly written contracts before project permits are issued. You may need a separate agreement with each salvage company. Include appropriate insurance and licensing requirements in these agreements.
Allow time for salvage as early in the construction process as possible.
Use as many existing materials and building components as possible in the new design or store them for use in a future project.
Donate materials to nonprofit organizations if you cannot use them.
Plan ahead for salvage. A built-in is a good example of an item that can be salvaged if elements are attached with screws rather than glue.

Recycle
There are good reasons to recycle not the least of which is that builders can reduce their disposal fees and overall construction costs through recycling and create competitive advantage by doing so. Builders can also expect to create markets by providing feedstock for the manufacture of new materials. You the builder hold the key to our success. With your knowledge, character, competence, and resources we can address the myriad issues of the C & D waste stream. Help us out by evaluating your waste stream. Estimate the quantity of recyclable materials you will generate. Identify materials that have the most recycling potential in your area, and recycle them in lieu of land filling them. Recall that the most recyclable materials are likely to include cardboard, wood, metal, concrete, masonry, and most unlikely wallboard.

Contact local recycling centers to determine each facility's acceptance requirements and restrictions. Find out if they recycle plastics, paints and finishes, asphalt roofing, or expanded polystyrene. Find out if they require separation of wastes or allow mixed wastes.
Compare the costs for hauling clean source-separated materials versus mixed waste.
Incorporate recycling into subcontracts. Include requirements for source separation and on-site recycling.
Ask your waste hauler or cleanup contractor to supply bins and to give you advice for setting up the site for maximum recycling.
Clearly designate recycling bins. Use color coding or large graphics.
Encourage subcontractors and employees to reuse and recycle. Discuss waste handling requirements before beginning a project and ask for their suggestions about more efficient methods or materials.
Track your results. Compare the costs to separate materials for recycling versus hauling everything to a landfill.
Work with your local builders association or solid waste agency to expand opportunities for recycling.
Seriously consider and evaluate the very strong merits of an onsite recycling program employing grinding to avert nearly 80% of the land fill volume traditionally generated by a new Houston home construction effort.

Thank you.

Note: This handbook has employed material created by The Peaks to Prairies Pollution Prevention Information Center which appears in a public domain document known as the Construction and Demolition (C&) Waste Management Guide. That work was an EPA funded project. The use of this material is greatly appreciated.

Table of Contents