What is it and why should I care?

Construction and demolition debris (C&DD) is waste material that is produced in the process of constructing, renovating, or demolishing structures. Structures include buildings of all types (both residential and nonresidential) as well as roads and bridges. Nationally, an estimated 136 million tons of C&DD were generated in 1996 (this tonnage does not include roadway, bridges, and land clearing debris). Locally, in Ohio, C&DD comprise 15 to 20 percent of all solid waste generated in the State. With this large percentage of the waste stream, it is hard to believe that C&DD has not been the focus of waste reduction efforts in Ohio. Fortunately, this focus is changing.

 

Not only is C&DD a large percentage of the waste stream, in Hamilton County, the majority of C&DD landfills are sited over sole-source aquifers. Normally, this would not be a problem; however, C&DD landfills do not have any protective liners. Thus, there is greater potential for groundwater contamination.

What are the benefits of C&DD recycling?

• Recycling of C&DD has several benefits that can not only affect the bottom line, but can also enhance your company’s image. Specifically, the benefits include:
• Conserves space in existing landfills;
• Reduces the environmental effects of extraction, transportation, and processing of raw materials. These effects include: air and water pollution, energy conservation, greenhouse has emissions, resource conservation;
• Reduces project costs through avoided disposal costs, avoided purchases of new materials, revenue earned from materials sales, and tax breaks gained for donations. Think of it as a new source of revenue;
• Helps communities, contractors, and/or building owners comply with state and local policies, such as disposal bans and recycling goals;
• Enhances the public image of companies and organizations that reduce disposal.

What types of materials are included in C&DD?

Although the actual waste composition from each site can vary based on the type of construction techniques used, the main structural materials include: cardboard, clean dimensional wood, wood materials, land clearing debris, concrete, asphalt, metals, concrete masonry units, gypsum wallboard, carpet, insulation, glass, beverage containers.

 

To view the most recent waste composition of C&DD, click here.

How do I develop and implement a C&DD program?

For any recycling program to be successful, early planning, patience, and hard work are required! Remember that most contractors have never implemented a waste management plan, so there will be a learning curve.

 

Implementing a construction waste management plan involves various stages including writing specifications, locating markets for recyclables, monitoring progress, and determining the economics of recycling versus landfilling. Listed below are tips to make your C&DD recycling program a success:

 Specifications

To ensure that that your contractors implement the waste management plan, it is essential to include the goals of your plan in the project specifications. Include recovery requirements and goals in project specifications and contracts. By doing this, you will be acknowledging your commitment to recycling and make the subcontractors aware of their responsibilities from the onset of the project.

 

Although there are many sections of specifications that can include construction waste management instructions, the most important sections are: Section 01010 Project Sustainability Goals and Section 01505 Construction Waste Management.

Section 01010 Project Sustainability Goals

The goal of this section is to:

1). State the goals of the project

Provide a general overview of the sustainable goals for the project. This can be accomplished in a list format. Do not worry that these are general, detailed goals will be described in detail throughout the specifications. Sample goals include: use resources efficiently; recycle and reuse job site waste; select recycled content materials; reuse existing buildings and materials; use durable materials; select low-toxicity products; select materials that save energy during building operations, etc.

 

2). Provide Definitions

 

3). Describe Goals Implementation

Instruct the contractor to designate an on-site party who is responsible for overseeing the Sustainability Goals for the project, including distributing copies of the goals to architect, owner, subcontractor, and job site superintendent. This section also requires the goals to be on the agenda at all job-site meetings.

Section 01505 Construction Waste Management

To no surprise, this section will contain the specific information on the goals of the project, waste management plan, directory of resources, and quality assurance.

 

The Summary provides the contractor with the specific goals of the project.

Example:

1. The Owner has established that the Project shall minimize the creation of construction and demolition waste on the job site.
2. Minimize factors that contribute to waste such as over packaging, improper storage, ordering error, poor planning, breakage, mishandling, and contamination.
3. Recycle and/or salvage at least 50% by weight of the non-hazardous construction and demolition waste.
4. Hazardous materials are an exception to this Section. Comply with requirements of local, state, and Federal regulations.

Waste Management Plan – This Section will direct the contractor to develop a waste management plan that shall contain the following:

1. Proposed recycling method(s) for each type of material (i.e., on-site storage).
2. Proposed on-site methods of storing of waste.
3. Proposed transportation.
4. Recycling and waste vendors (including tipping fees, rebates, etc.)
5. Person responsible for managing the Plan.

This section should also require the contractor to distribute copies of the Plan to each subcontractor, the job site superintendent, owner, and architect. Additional items to be included are:

1.  nstruction: provide on-site instruction of appropriate separation, handling, and recycling, salvage, reuse and return methods to be used by all parties at the appropriate stages of the Project.
2. Separation Facilities: For on-site separation, designate a specific area(s) to facilitate separation of materials for potential reuse, salvage, recycling, and return. Maintain recycling and waste bin areas neat, clean and clearly marked so as to avoid contamination. Protect bins during non-working hours to avoid contamination.
3. Materials Handling Procedures: Protect materials to be recycled from contamination. Handle, store, and transport in a manner that meets the requirements set by the designated facilities for acceptance.
4. Hazardous Waste: Separate, store, and dispose of hazardous wastes according to local, state, and Federal regulations.

Recycling Requirements – This section informs the contractor which materials, at a minimum, should be recycled. Materials that can be recycled in most parts of the nation include: metals, cardboard, glass, carpet and pad, ceiling tiles, concrete, clean dimensional wood, land clearing debris, and asphalt.

Additionally, this section provides a directory of local and regional recycling markets and waste disposal sites. For a directory of Southwest Ohio recycling and waste disposal outlets, click here.

Quality Assurance – This section requires the contractor to maintain records of amount of waste that was landfilled and the amount that was salvaged or recycled. To make it simpler on the contractor, supply them with the necessary forms to track this information. To view sample waste tracking and economics forms, click here. The following information should be required in this section:

1. Amount (in tons or cubic yards) of material landfilled from the Project, the name of the landfill, total amount of tipping fees paid to each landfill, and total disposal cost (attach tonnage sheets provided by landfill).
2. For each material recycled, reused, or salvaged from the Project, include the amount (tons, cubic yards), date removed from site, receiving party, costs paid to facility, and the net total cost or savings of salvaging or recycling each material (attach tonnage sheets provided by recycler).

To ensure the contractor followed the waste management plan, require the contractor to submit the documentation prior to final payment. Failure to submit this information shall render the Closeout Documents inadequate and will delay payment.

· Incentives

Most likely, your contractor will not have much experience with intensive job site recycling. Remember, it is an entirely new process for them. As with any new program, it is wise to provide incentives and rewards to encourage continued participation and to say “thank you.” Incentives could be as simple as a pizza luncheon each month or you could give all recycling revenues to the contractor.

· Contamination

Contamination is when a non-recyclable material is placed in a recycling container (i.e., shrink wrap thrown in a metal recycling container). If a recycling load has too much contamination, the recycling facility will refuse the load and, instead of being recycled, that material will be landfilled.

How do I prevent contamination?

1. Proper signage – put a sign on each dumpster labeling what recyclable(s) can be placed in that container.
2. Lock dumpsters at the end of the day.  Place garbage receptacles near/around the recycling container.  Remind contractors about the program at each meeting.

Recycling Economics

It is essential to determine the revenues or costs associated with C&DD disposal, recycling, or salvaging prior to implementing a waste management plan. By doing this, you will be able to prioritize the materials that will be recycled based on their potential revenue or cost. For example, initial plans may have listed drywall as a recyclable. However, upon analyzing local and regional recycling markets, it may be found that it would cost much more to recycle as opposed to traditional disposal methods, due to transportation costs.

 

To determine the recycling economics of your upcoming project, click here for easy-to-use forms that will calculate costs and/or revenues of recycling vs. disposal.

With a little effort, the building industry has the potential to reduce the amount of material that is sent to landfills, and in the process, save money or actually receive revenue for the sale of your recyclables. The Hamilton County Solid Waste Management District is aware that beginning this process may be difficult. If you would like assistance writing and/or implementing a waste management plan for your next project, please email Holly Christmann.

Green Building Links