Steps toward Zero Waste for Contractors and Builders, Part 4

April 23, 2013

This article addresses hazardous materials that may be encountered in salvaging or deconstruction, as well as planning for reuse and recycling. It continues our blog series on laying out a "roadmap" for builders and contractors on moving towards zero waste for construction and demolition projects. Zero waste is a path that can lead to savings and profit.

Zero waste does not actually mean "zero waste," as some think. Instead it is a goal and en route to that goal, great change and value can be achieved. And, contractors can realize cost reductions by following this path. Zero waste in construction and remodeling projects focuses on looking for opportunities:

• Generating less waste by using materials more efficiently – saves money;
• Reusing materials on site, or selling or donating them to someone else for reuse – cost containment, potential revenues or tax benefits; and
• Recycling whenever possible – might save you money and could even bring in revenue.

Zero waste in construction and remodeling is a win-win proposition, and not as hard to do as you might think.

Hazardous Materials

When considering salvaging materials from remodeling or deconstructing a building, it is important to know which materials contain hazardous materials that present environmental and health concerns for workers and the public.

Hazardous materials may involve federal, state, and local laws or regulations. Regulatory requirements vary, so it is important to contact state and local agencies to ensure compliance and environmental safety for workers and others that may be impacted by the project.

Planning the Process for Materials Collection, Storage, & Hauling

Start by having a conversation with your hauler, recycler, and/or the local recycling coordinator to help you to determine how best to store and manage the materials on site. Among the issues that you will consider will be costs, space constraints, reuse and recycling opportunities, and whether you are source separating or commingling materials.

Decide, before the project begins, where containers and storage areas will be located, and plan for appropriate signage. You want to be sure that the purpose of the containers or storage areas are obvious to onsite workers, as well as subcontractors, and haulers. Having the correct materials in the correct locations will result in the highest value to you and will help avoid unintended disposal costs due to material contamination, or wasted time by people trying to decide where to put what and subcontractors and haulers not using their time the most effectively. Location, location, location is true on the jobsite as well!

There are also important security questions. Many of the materials generated and used on the site are valuable; not just to you but for resale. Theft prevention needs to be considered. Strategies such as where the materials are stored—e.g., not where they are the most easily spotted and removed—and having locked containers or secured areas may be important.

The majority of the material that you determine to reuse and, especially, recycle, will require that a hauler come to the site and remove the materials. In some limited instances you may "self-haul"; for example taking bottles and cans from lunch to the local recycling center. You may find that you will enter into agreements with different haulers for different materials; and that sometimes the hauler will be the recycler itself. For example, if you there is a wallboard recycler that serves your area, it may be willing to come and pick-up loads of material. Minimum volumes/weights will have to be met and this will impact the site layout.

In addition to the possibility of there being multiple containers or storage areas onsite for the materials to be reused and recycled, there will be questions of timing. Pacing of site activities and subcontractors is an activity with which you are certainly familiar, and planning for reuse and recycling can be considered in the same light as a subcontractor. There is a logical sequence to materials use and generation, and the same sequence should apply to when materials are generated for reuse and recycling and when they should be removed from the site.

NERC's new Moving towards Zero Waste & Cost Savings – A Roadmap for Builders & Contractors for Construction & Demolition Projects offers a detailed roadmap toward "zero waste."