CONSTRUCTION WASTE MANAGEMENT
A. ISSUE:
The Memo of Understanding (MOU) on "Federal Leadership in High
Performance and Sustainable Buildings" that the Department of Veterans Affairs
signed, stated that government agencies shall establish programs to "recycle or
salvage at least 50 percent construction, demolition and land clearing waste,
where markets or on-site recycling opportunities exist".
B. BACKGROUND:
Construction demolition waste around the country is more than 30 percent of the
total municipal solid waste going into landfills, and there is a greater effort to
analyze this waste and determine how much can be recycled.
Almost all government agencies now require demolition waste from their building
construction sites be recycled.
The Whole Building Design Guide website (http://www.wbdg.org) has a
Construction Waste Management Database that contains information on companies
that haul, collect, and process recyclable debris from construction projects. Created
in 2002 by GSA's Environmental Strategies and Safety Division to promote
responsible waste disposal, the Database is a free online service for those seeking
companies that recycle construction debris in their area.
C. DISCUSSION:
Recycling and reuse of materials have long been associated with wise construction practices.
Experienced contractors are now reaping the economic advantages of Construction Waste
Management. Communities are also seeing the side benefits.
Recycling, reusing, and salvaging construction waste can save money. Many of the
contractors that have embraced Construction Waste Management have made changes to their
operations and practices to take advantage of reduced waste disposal costs and revenues
derived from recycle, reuse, and salvage materials. Efforts to prevent waste, to recycle, and
to use recycled-content materials on a project can help the project team earn points towards
qualifying for LEED and other local and national programs.
D. RECOMMENDATIONS:
FM will develop a master construction specification section for the
management of non-hazardous construction and demolition waste
materials. As part of implementing MOU discussed under "ISSUE"
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