Bringing a commercial building or home up to speed with a fresh round of renovations can add value to the property and increase its curb appeal. Likewise, many new constructions start by demolishing the previous property and getting to work on the new one.
All of these things – renovations, demolitions and constructions – can create a lot of construction waste that needs to be properly handled to keep everyone, and the environment, safe.
So, what exactly is construction waste and how can you responsibly dispose of it?
Construction and Demolition Waste
Construction waste is usually considered together with demolition waste and simply called construction and demolition waste. Examples of construction and demolition waste include things detritus from:
- Laying Drywall
- Foundations
- Driveways and Roads
- Vinyl Siding
- Home Insulation
Even though the Environmental Protection Agency provides a comprehensive list in its report, Characterization of Building-related Construction and Demolition Debris in the United States, most construction and demolition waste is handled at the state level.
Construction and demolition (C&M) waste in California has been estimated to include more than 10% of landfill materials, and potentially as much as 30% during high construction seasons and regional real estate booms. On average, California’s landfills see over four million tons of construction and demolition waste every year.
https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/condemo/CaseStudies/DGSDiversion.pdf
This is potentially pretty serious since the insulation found in construction and demolition waste can contain asbestos and some heavy metals like lead are used when wiring up new buildings. Deciding what to do with gypsum boards, PVC siding and construction rubble after a buildout can pose issues.
Responsible Disposal of C&M Waste
One of the best ways to avoid construction and demolition waste making its way to landfills is by recycling on-site. Using a debris box to store inert materials used in brickwork and asphalt paving is an excellent way to go green and reuse a lot of these materials.
Recycling these kinds of materials on-site can save a ton of money on construction and help the environment at the same time. You can crush a lot of these materials up and use them again as your road base and fill.
If that’s not an option for you, or if you just want your construction debris off of your hands right away to make room for new tenants or new customers, then you can also use a debris box to safely transport your construction and demolition waste off of your property and put it in route to the closest landfill.
Segregating Your Construction Waste
It can also be cost-efficient and just plain convenient for businesses to consider segregating their construction waste. Why’s that? In California a lot of recycling plants recognize the utility of recycled brick, asphalt and concrete to other constructions and, therefore, accept these materials at no additional cost.
This means that if you segregate your construction and demolition waste from the outset using separate debris boxes, you could reap huge savings on your new constructions, help out other businesses and do right by the planet.
It’s important to think all of this through at the beginning of your construction, though, since you can do a better job of segregating out your construction waste when you can keep reusable materials like asphalt from being contaminated by, for instance, construction debris that contains heavy metals.
Hauling Your Waste Off-site
You can also commission a junk haul company in your area to take your construction debris to landfills and recycling centers for you. Once safely transported, rubble, wood and asphalt can be repurposed at the recycling center and put to productive future use. Click here to get started.