It is becoming more difficult and expensive to dispose of both hazardous and non-hazardous construction and demolition (C&D) waste because of stricter environmental regulations and a shortage of landfill space. Non-hazardous C&D waste typically consists of concrete, insulation, bricks, asphalt, wood, glass, masonry, roofing, siding, plaster and drywall, soil, rock, stumps, boulders, and brush.

Disposal Regulations

Across the country solid waste disposal is highly regulated.  Know your state and local regulations.  Any component of C&D waste that is not reused, recycled, or directed toward a beneficial use is regarded as solid waste and needs to be disposed of at a licensed landfill.

Even if recycling is not an option for certain materials, source separation can still be beneficial. By separating bulky from less bulky materials, you may be able to haul some of your waste to a cheaper facility.

Depending on local regs you may be able to use “clean fill” on site or on other sites.  Clean fill means “soil, dirt, sand, gravel, rocks, and rebar-free concrete, emplaced free of charge to the person placing the fill, in order to adjust or create topographic irregularities for agricultural or construction purposes.”  Be aware that wood, asphalt, wallboard, mixed construction debris, and the like are not considered clean fill.

Contact your State Codes Bureau before using clean fill as a base material

Home or industrial appliances containing CFCs

Appliances (also called white goods) include water heaters, refrigerators, kitchen stoves, dishwashers, washing machines, and clothes dryers. White goods should be recycled.

Note that refrigerators may contain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) or small polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) capacitors that are regulated by the EPA. A release of CFCs into the environment is illegal; consequently the CFCs must be removed by an EPA-certified remover prior to recycling or disposal. You may be required to have the CFCs removed or pay the recycler/landfill to have it removed.

For more information on PCBs or CFCs, contact the State EPA Operations Office

Regulations

• 40 CFR 50-99, Title VI Regulations in the Clean Air Act Section regarding CFC management.

Contacts:

• U.S. EPA State/Regional Operations Office
  http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/index.html#regional

Storage and Collection of Waste
How waste is collected and stored is often regulated.  The following are often components of regulations as well as good management practices:

• Solid waste must be collected and stored to prevent vector growth; conditions for transmission of diseases to humans or animals; hazards to service or disposal workers or the public; air pollution, water pollution, or escape of solid wastes or contaminated water to public waters; objectionable odors; dust; unsightliness; or other nuisance conditions.
• Solid waste must be removed at regular intervals. Check with city or county officials for local storage, safety, and removal requirements.
• Storage bins and areas must be watertight, rodent-proof, cleaned regularly, and managed to minimize leaks or spills.
• Site must be kept clean and litter must be controlled.
• Burning or burying solid waste is strictly regulated.
• Solid waste being transported on a public highway must be attached, covered, or otherwise secured to the vehicle to prevent littering or creating a dangerous obstruction.

Evaluate your Solid Waste Stream

What does your waste stream look like? Below is a list of materials that usually make up a construction project’s waste stream. Fill in the estimated percent by volume for each component (waste stream percentages will vary according to the type of project being done). By examining what typically goes into your dumpster, you can identify wastes that can be eliminated, minimized, salvaged, or recycled.

Reduce Solid Waste

New buildings generate large amounts of waste, especially wood waste. According to the Center for Resourceful Building Technology in Missoula, a typical new single-family home creates 4-7 tons of waste, almost 50% 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.

Salvage or Reuse Waste

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.

Recycle

It is impossible to eliminate or salvage all waste; however, studies show that builders who separate and recycle waste can save on hauling and disposal costs even when they factor in the extra labor. Material recovery facilities (MRFs) usually offer reduced rates for disposal of recyclable C&D waste. Although there are currently few of these facilities in Montana, the number of MRFs will likely increase with demand.

Uses for Recycled Materials
Materials suitable for recycling today include cardboard, concrete, and metals. Uses and markets for products that previously could not be recycled are now expanding (examples: gypsum from wallboard is used as a soil amendment; concrete and asphalt are crushed and used as aggregate or base material. Construction industry waste makes up roughly 20% of the total municipal waste stream recycling can significantly lower this figure.

Center for Resourceful Building Technology (CRBT)
www.crbt.ncat.org
PO Box 100
Missoula, MT 59806