by Gavin Wyatt

Created on: November 12, 2009

Recycling during the demolition phase of a building project can reduce the amount of material transported to landfills by between sixty and ninety percent. A percentage of all construction debris is now required to be recycled by most cities if the demolition is being done with a permit (highly recommended).

A large deposit is usually required to start the demolition process but is refunded once the recycling tickets are supplied. Here is a break down of the most prevalent types of construction debris and options for recycling.

Concrete and asphalt can be recycled into class two base materials for use under road construction. Portland cement is made of crushed concrete and asphalt aggregate. Concrete can be dumped at recycling locations for as little as $10/load in a small truck, or for up to $250.00 a load for large trucks. The city of Los Angeles passed a motion requiring 100% of base materials used for road construction is recycled concrete and asphalt.

These materials can be crushed on site if the project consists of demolition of over 2,500 tons of concrete and asphalt to be recycled. The base material is left in a large pile for re-use.

Wood beams, studs, and plywood can often be reused and recycled, with the larger beams sometimes bringing salvage income. Much of this wood is hauled into Mexico and used for new buildings, but finding the haulers can sometimes be a challenge.

Habitat for Humanity also receives wood shipments and will give tax credits for the value of the materials. They also receive and stock for second hand purchase air conditioning, appliances, tools, flooring, lighting, and outdoor living items.

Recycling metal has been a very lucrative operation in the past, and metal pricing fluctuates often. Many recyclers will only honor a quote for 5-10 days, and quote prices by the type and tonnage. The ease of recycling metal has driven copper and wire thefts from buildings and power lines shooting in the past few years.

Many cities have started advertising campaigns requesting the public help to cut down on these crimes. Billboard companies, after struggling with power lines being removed on signs located in remote areas, have resorted to using advertising space to warn potential thieves.

Two causes of the pricing increase have been the intense building surge that swept Southern California during the 2000's, and the intense purchasing power of the Chinese in preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games. Scrap metal can be scrapped by the truck load, or by the handful. Most recyclers in the region will ask for identification, and will copy a drivers license to hold on file.

Construction trash and demolition debris makes up about 22 percent of California's waste. By diverting on an average of 75 percent of that waste flow from the landfills does make an impact. Remember, Recycling takes time, and dismantling construction instead of destroying construction comes with a cost.

If that cost cannot be mitigated by getting those materials purchased, some waste companies do the separation. These companies will deliver between a 10 yard and 40 yard container for the demolition debris. The material is then separated with machines at a yard and recycled, with most showing a 75 percent recycle rate.

Each city usually has a list of approved vendors available. The company that is chosen should be able to give you a detailed report for submission to the city.

Resources:

Search for recycling sites and materials by city list using the website below: http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/conDemo/Recyclers/RecyclerSe arch.aspx

Sources:

http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/conDemo/Aggregate/

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