Construction waste is a huge problem, with most of it going into landfills, increasing the burden on landfill loading and operation. Waste from sources such as solvents or chemically treated wood can result in soil and water pollution. A new article from Buildings.com has released new stats on just how big the problem is. On a national scale, total building-related construction and demolition waste is estimated to be 135.5 million tons- representing 30 percent, the largest single source in the waste stream.

Many materials can be recycled directly into the same product for re-use. Others can be reconstituted into other products. The main obstacle in recycling, though, is that recycling requires reprocessing that is not usually economically feasible unless a facility using recycled resources is located near the material source. But there are steps that can be taken for waste-reduction. 

Probably the most important step for recycling of construction waste is on-site separation. Initially, this will take some extra effort and training of construction personnel. Once separation habits are established, on-site separation can be done at little or no additional cost.

For more info on what you can do about reducing construction waste, visit: Buildings.com

For info on companies that haul, collect, and process recyclable debris, visit the Construction Waste Management Database