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Concrete is generally a hard material that can serve for several years. But when it’s time to remove and haul away a large concrete feature, it shouldn’t mean that the material needs to be thrown out. Although broken concrete pieces may be an eyesore on their own, there are numerous eco-friendly ways of reusing them besides simply sending them to the landfill.
Construction materials, such as broken concrete typically account for around 40% of the American 251 million tons of waste yearly. As an eco-conscious business, it’s important to learn ways of reusing or recycling any construction debris to keep them out of landfills.
Here are four eco-friendly ways to make the most of your broken concrete after a construction or renovation job:
1. Reuse for Landscaping
Although regular concrete is a relatively eco-friendly construction material, modern concrete production processes often utilize energy and raw materials. Reusing existing concrete material to update your landscaping is an eco-friendly move as it both saves energy and keeps the old materials out of landfills.
Whichever style of landscaping you desire for your property, you will likely find a way to reuse old concrete. One innovative way to do that is to build fire pits, edge-raised garden beds, or stone walls. You could also construct stone sheds or even set the broken concrete pieces into the ground to serve as stepping stones for garden paths.
Alternatively, you can use broken concrete to create a wildlife habitat on your property. Simply stack the concrete pieces into a shallow hole to simulate a natural rock pile. This can provide much-needed shelter for native creatures such as chipmunks and lizards.
2. Donate to a Friend or Colleague
If your property is situated near a larger city or town, you may be able to locate someone in your area who can take away broken concrete pieces from your yard. They’ll then reuse them in one of their construction, landscaping, or similar projects.
Giving away the materials locally is just as eco-friendly as reusing them yourself. The process does not require any processing, and due to the close proximity, very little transportation energy will be used.
3. Recycle for New Construction
Your concrete cutting contractor may likely have plenty of experience and connections in the construction industry. If you don’t plan to deal with the old concrete, a building contractor may be able to haul it away for eco-friendly recycling. But be sure to specify that you’d like to have the materials recycled and not just disposed of in landfills.
Concrete is such a versatile building material that it has numerous applications even in new construction. For example, old concrete can be crushed up and added to new concrete as it is mixed. It can also be broken into rubble and utilized as an aggregate material for the sub-layer of a new road.
So, all it takes is a little forethought and planning to be able to avoid the environmental impact that comes with sending construction materials to the landfill.
4: Working with a Junk Hauling Company
Professional junk haulers have the experience and expertise to hauls away and safely dispose of old or broken concrete. They use proper lifting techniques to avoid injuries related to poor ergonomics, such as backaches and splintered hands.
With highly sophisticated equipment such as jackhammers, skid steer loaders, sledges, and 6 wheeled trucks, a professional junk hauler ensures better maneuverability and lowered payloads.
You can engage the services of a junk hauler to perform any of the following:
- Hauling large piles of concrete left over from a demolition or construction project
- Getting rid of old cracked concrete piles sitting for ages on your property
- Hauling remnants of abandoned projects in an old property
- Cutting and hauling old leftover concrete stairs
- Clearing unwanted slabs of concrete to make room for hardcore or sod
Professional junk haulers typically use dump trucks for all concrete hauling jobs to ensure optimum safety for personnel and your driveway. So, there is no room for wimpy pick-up trucks here! A one-ton full-size pick-up truck can safely haul up to 2,000 lbs. of concrete. Other common safety equipment haulers use include:
- Sturdy leather gloves
- Hard hats
- Dust Masks
- Eye protection goggles
- Steel toe boots
Bottom Line
Choosing to recycle broken concrete can be a big boost for the environment and companies or municipalities looking for raw building materials or repurposed aggregate building materials for road construction. But, if you want your construction and demolition debris hauled away right away, you can always count on Jung King for competitive fees and two-hour service windows. Contact us today for more information on how we can help you dispose of your broken concrete in an eco-friendly manner!
