BUILDERS' GUIDEBOOK TO

REDUCING, REUSING AND

RECYCLING RES I DEN TI A L

CONSTRUCTION WASTE IN

WISCONSIN

by: Robert Walther directed by: Dr. Jon Udell

Study made possible with support from the Wisconsin Hilldale Undergraduate/ Faculty Research Fellowship Program, the Wisconsin Builders Association and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Enterprise Center

Builders' Guidebook to Reducing, Reusing and Recycling Residential Construction Waste in Wisconsin

October 1993 AuthorlResearcher: Robert Walther: Senior, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Research Director: Dr. Jon Udell: Irwin Maier Chair of Business, UW-Madison Enterprise Center

Reviewers: Mehrdad Azemun, Senior, University of Wisconsin-Madison Bill Binn, Builder, Wyntree Construction lnc. Gerald J. Diemer, Executive Vice-President, Wisconsin Builders Association Len Linzmeier. Builder, Windsor Homes Eileen Norby, Solid Waste Management and Research Coordinator, University of Wisconsin System Administration Andy Swartz, Special Recyclables Coordinator, Department of Natural Resources

Editor: Bruce Stein: Communications Specialist, Wisconsin Builders Association

Illustrations: David Nigh

Acknowledgements

Robert Walther and Jon Udell gratefully acknowledge the Wisconsin Builders Association, all those listed below and many not named here for their assistance throughout the research and preparation of this guidebook.

The Wisconsin Hilldale Undergraduate/Faculty Research Fellowship Program The Enterprise Center of the University of Wisconsin-Madison The staff and members of the Madison Area Builders Association, Madison, Wisconsin The National Association of Home Builders, Upper Marlboro, Maryland Tom Pelliteri and staff of Pellitteri's Container Haul-Away Inc., Madison, Wisconsin Innovative Waste Management Consultants, Apple Vally, Minnesota Jim Goddard, Recycling Program Manager, Metro, Portland, Oregon John Reindl, Recycling Manager, Department of Public Works, Dane County, Wisconsin Robert Brickner, Senior Vice'President, GBB Solid Waste Management Consultants, Virginia Gary Duckert of Great Lake Fiber, Waterloo, Wiscosnin The following employees of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources:

Lackshmi Sridharan, Chief, Solid Waste Management Section Jack Connelly, Unit Leader, Solid Waste Management Section Janet Niewald, Unit Leader, Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling Section Rick Weigle, Recycling Specialist Andy Swartz, Special Recyclables Coordinator

Debbi Palermini, President, Palermini and Associates Mary Kohrell, UW-Extension. Green Bay, Wisconsin Sheri Gruder, Recycling Operations Specialist, UW-Extension Kristine L. Schutte, Dane County Zoning Inspector Honora Kramer, Wisconsin Clean Sweep Coordinator

Background of the Research This guidebook focuses on the management of residential construction waste. It is the result of a three month research project, made possible by a grant from the Wis. consin Hilldale UndergraduatelFaculty Research Fellowship and support from the Wisconsin Builders Association.

Robert Walther, a Senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, spearheaded the study with guidance from Dr. Jon Udell of the UW Enterprise Center. The research included an extensive literature review of construction and demolition waste, a com- position analysis of single family home construction waste in Dane County, Wiscon- sin, and multiple surveys of builders, landfill operators, waste haulers, recyclers and governmental officials across Wisconsin.

Who is This Guidebook Designed For? This guidebook focuses on construction waste in Wisconsin, but builders across the country may benefit by reading it. Aside from residential builders and remodelers, commercial builders will also find this guidebook useful. The following information and recommendations are intended to aid all builders in making economical and envi- ronmentally sound waste management decisions.

Contents

Introduction

What is Residential Construction Waste

Wisconsin's Recycling Law and Its Effect on Builders

Composition of Residential Construction Waste

What You Can Do Today

Wood

Drywall/G ypsum

Paper

Metals

Plastics

Hazardous Materials

Other Materials

Time, Space and Money

Con c I u s i o n

Appendix A Waste Exchanges

Bibliography

1

2

3

4

5

6

8

9

10

11

13

15

16

17

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Introduction According to estimates by Franklin Associates Ltd., approximately 8O%, or 1,090,000 tons, of construction and demolition waste are buried in Wisconsin landfills every year. Meanwhile, some areas of the country are recycling and reusing nearly 60% of the construction and demolition waste they produce.

Why are builders in some areas of the country recycling and reusing more of their waste than builders in Wisconsin? The primary reasons are rising disposal costs and governmental mandates. In some areas, high disposal costs help make recycling and reuse of construction waste less costly than landfilling. In addition, some states now ban certain waste materials from their landfills and/or mandate them for recycling. In Wisconsin, disposal costs also are increasing, and several materials commonly found in construction waste will be banned from the Wisconsin's landfills after January 1, 1995.

It is important that builders begin planning now to reduce, reuse and recycle their construction waste. Hesitant builders will find themselves losing money when landfill costs increase and the bans take effect. By acting now, builders can also begin to stimulate the markets needed to handle their waste materials. Currently these markets are weak, or do not exist at all.

This guidebook provides builders with the informa- tion they need to start planning for the future. It also provides information about the quantity and composition of residential construction waste. Most importantly, this guidebook provides builders with tips on how to economically reduce, reuse, and recycle the waste they produce.

Generation of Single-Family Home Construction Waste

in Wisconsin

Every year, the construction of single family homes in Wisconsin generates approximately 700,000 cubic yards, or 280 million pounds, of loose construction waste. If placed over a football field, this pile of construction waste wouldrise nearly 350 feet. This does not include commercial construction waste or even demolition debris.

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What is Residential Construction Waste? Every time someone builds or remodels a home, waste is created. Thus, every builder has become the manager of a bonafide waste stream. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), construction waste is defined in conjunction with demolition waste as:

... solid waste resulting from the construc- tion, demolition or razing of buildings, roads and other structures. Demolition and con- struction material typically consists of con- crete, bricks, bituminous concrete, wood, glass, masonry, roofing, siding, and plas- ter, alone or in combinations. It does not include asbestos, waste paints, solvents, sealers, adhesives or similar materials.

Note: "construction" waste differs from "demolition" waste. Demolition waste refers to solid waste which is largely inert and results from the demolition of buildings, roads, and other human-made structures. Construction waste, however, originates as structures are built. The DNR does not make a clear distinction between construction and demolition waste, but the concerned waste manager will seriously consider the differences. Construction waste is generally bulky, easy to separate into individual components and produced at a relatively predictive rate throughout the year. Demolition waste is usually generated in spurts, heavily mixed, and can be very dense. Thus, although these materials are often mentioned together, the methods used to handle them can differ greatly. This guidebook concentrates on construction waste.

Percentage of Single-Family Home Construction Waste in C & D

Dane County, Wisconsinproducesapproximately 175, OOOcubic yards3 or I IO, 000 tons of construction and demolition waste per year. Waste from single family home consfrucfion comprises beiween 40% 10 55% by volume, and f3% to f 7% by weight, of all construction and demolition waste producedin Dane Couny. So while construction waste takes up more space, it weighs less than demolition waste.

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Wisconsin's Recycling Law

and Its Effect on Builders On April 27,1990, Governor Tommy Thompson signed Wisconsin's recycling law, into existence. The law includes measures t o change the state's throw-away habits. Although the measures do not apply explicitly t o construction wastes, they do pertain directly t o certain components of construction waste. Thus, these measures will widely affect builders.

The law's landfill bans will have the greatest impact on the way builders manage waste. Beginning January 1, 1995, the following items may not be placed in landfills, converted t o fuel or burned in liscensed solid waste treatment facilities.

1. ALUMINUM CONTAINERS

2. 3. FOAM POLYSTYRENE PACKAQINQ ("STYROFO~M"~

4. glass containers 5. 6. 7. o f f i ce paper

CORRUOATED PAPER (-CARDBOARD") AND OTHER CONTAINER BOARD

magazines and other material printed on similar paper newspaper and other materials printed on newspr in t

8. PLASTIC CONTAINERS

9. STEEL CONTAINERS

10. waste t ires 1 1. bi-metal (steel/aluminum) containers used for carbonated

and ma l t beverages

The items underlined above are commonly found in construction waste. Builders will have t o concen- trate on finding disposal alternatives for these items. Builders who fail to prepare for the bans may encounter great difficulty and cost to adjust their waste management practices later. It can take a lot of time to change waste management practices, educate employees and find outlets for banned waste materials.

The following items have already been banned from landfills and incinerators:

As of Januarv 1, 1991 As of Januarv 1. 1993

1. lead acid batteries 1. grass clippings 2. major appliances 2. leaves 3. waste oil (except burning for 3. sticks

energy recovery) 4. brush 5. other lawn and garden items including

clean woody matertial no greater than six inches in diameter

Note: Responsible units (i.e. cities) with effective recycling programs may seek variances from 1995 recycling requirements for any single material i f the cost of selling the processed material exceeds the co$t of disposing of the material or exceeds $40 per ton.

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Composition of Residential Home Construction Waste

Knowing the composition of residential construction waste will help determine the most appropriate and economical methods for handling it. The following table displays the materials commonly found in home construction waste and the relative volume of each material.

Residential of Percentage of

Wood Drywall Corrugated Cardboard

30% - 50% 10% - 25% 10% - 20%

Packaging (Plastic and Paper) Metals Masonry Shingles

Yaint Cans 1 lessthan 5% Lunch Garbage I less than 5% I

5% - 15% 5% - 10% 1% - 10% 1% - 5%

- Caution - This table combines data from the following sources: Toronto Home Builders Assoc.

estimates of construction waste analyzed in Dane County, Wisconsin. Use your best judgement when applying these percentages to your waste data. These estimates can

1989; Palermini & Assoc, 1992; Steve Apotheker, 1992; NAHB, 1993; Metro, 1993; and

vary greatly from region to region, and builder to builder.

.~

-

Insulation CarpetmgPadding Scrap Dirt and Rock Flooring Scrap

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less than 5% less than 5% less than 5% less than 5%

What You Can Do Today

The following pages suggest ways to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle construc- tion waste. The three R‘s are defined below. A later section in this guidebook will describe how reducing, reusing, and recycling construction waste may also help to lower disposal costs.

- Reduce: To lessenin extent, amount, number, toxicityand/orotherquantity. One of the best ways to cut disposal costs is to not create waste in the first place. This “R“ will display how builders can reduce the volume of waste they create.

- Reuse: To extend the life of an item by using it again, repairing it, modifying it or creating new uses for it. Construction materials require great amounts of energy and resources to produce. By landfilling the materials that didn’t “fit”, the energy and resources contained in those left-over materials are lost. Moreover, reusing materials may improve efficiency. The result of this greater efficiency lowers disposal costs and decreases the quantity of materials that need to be purchased per job site. This ”R“ will provide suggestions for preserving energy and maximizing efficiency, Le. ”getting the most” out of construction materials.

- Recycle: To collect and reprocess manufactured materials for reuse either in the same form or as part of a different product. If you can’t reduce or reuse certain construction waste materials, recycle them. Recycling construction waste can provide many valuable raw materials to manufacturers of new products. This ”R” provides information on how to recycle construction waste, and emphasizes the importance of using products made from recycled materials.

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Wood Wood is the single largest component of residential construction waste. In Dane County wood comprises nearly 40% of residential construction waste, and for every new home built, approximately 17 cubic yards of wood waste is generated. In an age where wood fiber is becoming more valuable and the cost of raw lumber is escalating, wasting wood has become an expensive practice. Many options exist for reducing, reusing and recycling wood waste. And, because of i ts large volume, minimizing wood waste clearly provides one of the best ways to clamp down on disposal costs.

Dimensional Manufactured Land Clearing Wood Wood Wood Debris

Pallets OSB Stumps Cut Lumber Particleboard Brush

Packing Crates Treated Lumber Laminates Plywood

- REDUCE: Design your floor plans to make efficient use of whole 4 ' x 8' panels, and standard lumber lengths.

If ordered in large quantities, wood may be custom cut to fit unusual designs.

Monitor wood waste more closely per home Try to better estimate the actual quantity of wood needed to be purchased depending on the size and characteristics of the homes you build.

Use 2x sandwich headers instead of solid 4x or 6 x beams.

Open corners and T-walls.

Use drywall clips t o replace corner studs.

Use prefabricated wood components t o reduce waste a t the construction site.

- REUSE: Coordinate with suppliers to take back or buy back unused wood or use in another project

Instead of new cuts from full length materials, use a central cutting area t o enhance the probability that cut lengths can be used for cripples, lintels and blocking.

Use cut-offs for spacers in header construction.

Donate waste wood to low income housing, or get rid of extra wood through "waste exchanges" (described in Appendix A).

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Cut wood clearing waste into fireplace lengths and stack on the job site. Leave for new occupant, or put out by the curb with a "free firewood" sign.

Encourage people to scavage your wood waste piles for their small home construction projects and/or as kindling wood in their fireplaces.

- RECYCLE: Separate wood that cannot be reused and deliver it to wood waste recyclers. Contact your local government recycling office to locate end-users of wood waste near you. Obtain the DNR Recycling Markets Directory to locate wood recyclers in your area by calling Janet Niewald at (608) 266-21 11.

Contact major producers of wood waste in your area, i.e. pallet producers, lumber companies and furniture manufacturers, to see if they can handle your wood waste through their waste handling operations.

I f no end-users exist for wood waste in your area, coordinate with other builders through your local builders association to purchase a wood shredder or invest in starting up a local recycling operation.

Develop incentives for framing contractors and crew t o reduce, reuse, and recycle wood waste.

Remove as many nails and other metal fixtures from the wood waste as economically possible. Although some recyclers may have the capability t o magnetically remove metals, metal contamination in wood waste can damage recycling equipment and decrease the marketability of the wood waste.

Note:The recyclability of various types of wood waste depends on its eventual use. Clean dimensional lumber usually has higher valued recycling applications than manufactured or treated wood waste.

Examples: Wood waste IS currently being shredded and used as animal bedding; chipped and used for landscaping and boiler fuel; ground-up and used as raw material in new composite boards.

Drywa WGypsum Drywall waste is similar to waste wood in that it comprises a large volume of residential - construction waste and has a lot of bulk. In addition, drywall has many reduction, reuse and recycling possibilities, and if segregated from other wastes, has great potential for reducing the overall volume of waste going to the landfill.

- RED u c E : Design your floor plans to make efficient use of whole 4' x 8' drywall sheets.

Require sub-contractors to handle all drywall scrap they produce on your home site This can be done by specifying it in your contract bids.

Develop incentives for drywall sub-contractors to reduce the waste they produce.

REUSE: Keep ALL drywall scraps in a central, dry location inside the home to be easily accessed by workers until every room is fully drywalled.

Donate scrap drywall t o low income housing, or get rid of extra drywall through "waste exchanges" (described later in this guidebook). In addition, call Habitat for Humanity at (608) 255-1 549 for information on how to donate excess construction material.

~~

- RECYCLE: Because of its lime (Calcium Sulfate) content, drywall or gypsum can be spread directly onto agricultural fields as a nutrient supplement. Other parts of the country are disposing of vast quantities of gypsum in this fashion. Use the DNR Recycling Markets Directory by calling (608) 266-21 1 1 to locate drywall recyclers near you.

Talk with drywall contractors to discover if they know of any recycling options, or i f they would be interested in investigating starting a recycling facility for farmers in their area.

Ask yoursuppliers of drywall if they may be able to "back-haul" scrap drywall to their production plant. They may be able to recycle it back into new drywall or recycle it into other products.

Drywall is a difficult material to sort out from other construction wastes due to i ts weight and bulk. If possible t ry to sort drywall waste in a dry, central location to be taken periodically for recycling or picked up by farmers for fertilizer. Be careful not t o let piles of drywall accumulate and get wet because they can give off offensive odors.

Contact the National Association of Home Builders Research Center at (301 ) 249-4000 to get information on how drywall scraps can be used by farmers.

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Paper Paper in c.onstruction waste originates almost entirely from discarded packaging. Cabinets, siding, light and door fixtures,.tile, appliances, nails, carpet, etc. usually come packaged in corrugated cardboard boxes (wavy centered board), boxboard (cereal box type) or brown wrapping paper. Because of its ability to protect materials from damage at a low cost, few options exist for reducing construction paper waste. The paper waste, however, has a high potential for reuse and recycling. Recycling markets for paper waste are strong in Wisconsin, and li'ke wood and drywall, the bulk of the paper waste provides another great opportunity to reduce the volume of construction waste going to the landfill. Currently, Dane~County bans corrugated cardboard from its landfills. After January 1, 1995, Corrugated cardboard will be banned from all Wisconsin landfills.

- REDUCE: Coordinate with the manufacturers of the materials you buy t o reduce the paper packaging on the materials delivered to your home sites. Examine the paper packaging on siding and cabinets, for example, to see if any of it is unhecessary.

Require sub-contractors to handle all old corrugated cardboard IOCC) waste they produce on your home site. This can be done by specifying it in your contract bids.

- REUSE: Waste corrugated boxes have limited reuse capability, but could be used as collection containers for sawdust, metal scraps for recycling andlor other floor scraps after sweeping.

Large pieces of corrugated cardboard act as good coverings for finished floors while workers are still in the home.

Work to convince manufacturers to deliver items in reusable packaging that can be "backhauled" to the manufacturer and used again.

- RECYCLE: Check with your local recycling center to see if they accept corrugated cardboard and other waste paper items for recycling. There is a market for used corrugated cardboard. In fact, there is an export market for ,it.

If you find an outlet for corrugated cardboard, have your employees separate it in a dry location for recycling. Flatten all boxes in separate piles and bundle with string. Deliver them to a local recycling center, or have the piles picked up by a recycler in your area. There is usually a small charge for pick-up of materials.

Have your waste hauler place an additional dumpster for corrugated cardboard at each of your construction sites or in a central location near several working job sites. Make sure the container has a lid to keep the material dry. Have the hauler deliver the dumpsters to a recycling center. Note: adding another dumpster does' not necessarily mean paying for an additional dumpster. You are still producing the same volume of waste, but you would be filling two dumpsters at the same time instead of one.

Help "complete the recycling loop" by buying materials made from or packaged in recycled paper and corrugated cardboard. Many ceiling tiles, for example, are now made from recycled paper fibers, and cardboard is generally made into tissue and boxboard containers.

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Metals Most metal in residential construction waste can be recycled. Wisconsin has many scrap dealers that accept metal waste. Although most sub-contractors already recycle or reuse high valued metals such as copper, solder and brass, some lower valued metals such as steel and aluminum still end up in the landfill. In Dane County, many metal items found

products, such as metal hinges and drawer runners, were landfilled because they were affixed to construction materials that were damaged before installation.

Ferrous Non-Ferrous

in the dumpsters were not even removed from their original packaging. Many other metal -

Steel Duct Work Aluminum Siding Nails Copper WireIPipe Pipes Solder

Banding Brass

BEDUCE: Coordinate with manufacturers to take back or buy back unused metal products.

Try to design floor plans to make efficient use of standard lengths of heating duct materials, metal pipes, wiring, siding and gutters.

Require sub-contractors t o handle all metal waste they produce on your home site This can be done by specifying it in your contract bids.

- REUSE: Train employees to deliver unused metal items to the next home site or to notify you of metal materials that could be returned to the manufacturer

Donate usable waste metal products to low income housing. information about donating materials at (608) 255-1 549.

Contact Habitat for Humanity for more

If construction materials with metal knobs, runners, handles, etc., are damaged before installation, have employees remove the metal parts before the damaged materials are discarded. Reuse the metal items on the construction materials ordered t o replace the damaged ones, return to the original vendor, or take them for recycling.

- RECYCLE: Have workers separate out all metal scrap and place it in a central location on the site. Have collected metal delivered or picked up by a local scrap metal dealer. Some scrap dealers may provide you with a centrally located container for the metal from your construction site(s). Scrap metal dealers can usually be located in the Yellow Pages. Make sure to ask the scrap dealer if they require separation of ferrous and non-ferrous waste.

If a metal scrap dealer does not exist near you, contact a local automobile junk yard to inquire if they can accept - your metal waste.

Note: For metal cans containing unused solvents or paint, see the hazardous waste section in this guidebook about the correct and safest ways to dispose of these items.

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Plastics Plastic waste from residential construction sites comes in many forms. When mixed together, the plastics are practically impossible to recycle due to incompatible polymers and chemical additives. If a builder wishes to recycle plastic wastes, great care must be taken to prepare and separate the many different types of plastic.

In general, most builders do not have the time or employees to handle this waste material for recycling. In 1995, however, foam polystyrene packaging, and anything which constitutes a "plastic container" will be banned from landfills in Wisconsin. The information below provides suggestions for reducing and reusing plastic waste, as well as information that will aid you in identifying which plastic wastes you should concentrate on to comply with the landfill ban.

Packaging Products LDPE SheetinglBags PVC Pipe

HDPE Buckets/Bottles Vinyl Siding PET Bottles Polyethylene Carpet Pad Shrink Wrap Linoleum Polystyrene

- REDUCE: Coordinate material suppliers t o reduce the plastic packaging on purchased materials.

Try to buy items that have less plastic packaging.

If packaging is needed, encourage manufacturers to deliver items in materials that may can be recycled Corrugated cardboard and metal banding, for example, may make good substitutes for non-recyclable plastics.

Encourage manufacturers to' deliver items in reusable packaging that can be "backhauled" to the manufacturer. HDPE buckets, for example, may be returned and refilled by the original manufacturer.

Require sub-contractors to handle all plastic waste they produce on your home site. This can be done by specifying it in your contract bids.

Plastic shrink wrap can somtimes substitute for more bulky rigid plastic packages. The shrink wrap is recyclable in some areas if kept clean

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- REUSE: Remove the tops to five gallon HDPE buckets, and use the buckets throughout the home under construction to act as collection containers for plastic waste, metal scraps, drywall scraps, or other recyclable or reusable material. This will help keep small recyclable/reusable items out of miscellaneous floor sweepings.

Use CDPE plastic insulation bags or other plastic sheeting to cover materials that need to be kept dry, or to protect installed flooring.

Staple plastic sheeting over empty window openings during cold or wet weather.

Cut one gallon plastic containers in half. Use the top portion with the handle as a carrying tool or scooper for nails or other materials that are difficult to hand-carry.

BECYCLE: Contact a local. recycling center to discover which types of plastic are currently being recycled in your area. Have employees sort out specified plastic containers and deliver them t o a recycling center.

Contact the DNR to find a recycler that accepts your plastic recyclables.

Buy construction materials made from recycled materials.

FYI: Some of the most commonly recycled plastic wastes include, HDPE bottles (milk or detergent type bottles marked with a #2 on the bottoml, PET bottles (two-liter soda type bottles marked with a #1 on the bottom), LDPE bags (insulation bags), and foam polystyrene (white foam packaging and "peanuts").

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Hazardous Materials Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills are required to have thick clay-liners and non- permeable membranes to protect the surrounding environment from internal pollutants. Interestingly, some of the same hazardous waste residues deposited in municipal landfills are also deposited in C&D landfills. Most C&D landfills, however, are not required to install extensive protective containment systems. Although both the homeowner and the homebuilder should be equally safe in handling their hazardous wastes, the builders must recognize that most C&D landfills are less capable of containing waste pollutants.

Builders can benefit by handling hazardous wastes as safely and correctly as possible. Recent studies show that C&D landfills may be leaching pollutants at concentrations warranting heavy liners and expensive membranes (Connelly and Pugh, 1992). These measures increase the cost of using the landfills. The more builders that keep hazardous residues out of C&D landfills, the more they will control pollution and rising disposal costs.

The following tips can help make using and handling hazardous waste materials safer for employees and the environment. The table on the next page displays what hazardous materials are commonly found in construction waste and the proper ways to dispose of them.

-

Safety Tips

. Create a plan for cleaning up spilled materials, involving and educating employees about the plan. . Use water based cleaners instead of petroleum based chemicals. . Use biodegradable cleaners . Use non-chlorinated paint and varnish stripper to decrease amount of volatile organic compounds emitted to the atmosphere. . Reuse thinner to clean equipment. . Combine same solvent residues. . Contact original vendors to see if they would take-back any leftover chemicals. . Train employees about the materials they are handling.

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HanardousWaste I Sources Paint lpaint Cans

lnew home-owners as touch-up paint. lUse up entire can. Remove the plastic lid and take to a Arosal Cans

Suggested Handling Procedure Contact your local metal scrap dealer to ask if they accept empty paint cans for recycling. If so, or in any case, dry out empty paint cans until only a thin skin of dry paint remains. Take the dried-out cans to your scrap dealer for recycling or landfill them. If their is more than a thin skin of paint remaining in the can, use as much as possible, or leave paint for

Solvents I ITurpentine /Contact Clean Sweep' to learn about disposal options

scrap dealer for recycling (if acceptable) or landfill. If Paint is dry, dispose in a landfill. Use as much as possible. Filter and reuse remainder.

Painted Wood Thinners

Adhesives

I Glue (water based) Piping Compound

Stain in your area. Glue (solvent based) Caylking Tubes

Contact Clean Sweep' Empty, and dispose in a landfill

IDrywall Joint Compound Waste Oil IGreases, oil Icontact your local recycling center for a collection

Urea Pentachlorophenol

Chromium Copper

lpoint in your area. lTry to order only what you need. Dispose any scraps Napthalene ILaminated Wood

in the landfill. Try to order only what you need. Dispose any scraps in the landfill. Try to order only what you need. Dispose any scraps

Verneers, Laminated Wood

Pressure Treated Lumber _.

lin the landfill. ]Try to order only what you need. Dispose any scraps Formaldehyde I Plywood, Particleboard

Arsenate (CCA) Tar

_ _ in the landfill. Can sometimes be donated to asphalt plants if not containing any asbestos. Or contact Clean Sweep* to learn of disposal options in your area.

Roofing Tar

* "Clean Sweep" only acepts hazardous waste materials from households. Builders however, can contact clean sweep to learn about proper disposal methods for hazardous waste generated from construction sites. Call Honora Kramer, Wisconsin Clean Sweep Coordinator at (608) 267-1997 for more information,

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Other Materials m a It Shinales Companies across the country are starting to recycle this material into pot-hole filler and new pavement. Currently, no outlet for this material exists in Wisconsin. Encourage suppliers of new asphalt shingles to invest in an operation to facilitate the use of unused or discarded shingles.

Masonrv , Tile , Concrete, Rock, and Dirt Many builders leave small amounts of soil, rock and masonry on construction sites, or use it as driveway underlay. Large quantities of these materials. separated from other construction debris, may be accepted at local landfills as "clean fill" (largely inert soils and clays used for covering daily deposits of waste). Have a landfill operator examine any large amounts of these materials for approval as clean fill. Material landfilled as daily cover usually has lower tipping or disposal fees than regular landfilled waste.

Insulation Very small quantities of insulation are wasted. Most companies are able to stuff extra insulation into various places throughout the home under construc- tion or a t other sites. No outlets for recycling currently exist for this material in Wisconsin.

Lunch Refuse It is not uncommon to find lunch refuse in residential construction waste. Lunch refuse can include many recyclables such as glass and plastic drink bottles, aluminum soda cans, and steel food cans. Collect these materials by placing two or three plastic bags on every construction site and educating employees t o deposit their recyclable lunch garbage in the bags. It may be a good idea to t ie the bags to the side of waste dumpsters or place them in central locations on the site(s1. Also, use clear plastic bags. Recyclables seen in the bag will help indicate its purpose to workers. When the bags are full, have someone collect and deliver them to a local recycling center. The recyclables

Choosing a Landfill for Unusually Heavy or Dense

Construction Waste

For unusually heavy loads of con- struction waste, i.e. lots of rocks and soil, or a truckload of asphalt shingles, it may be less expensive to deposit these mgteri- als in municipal solid waste landfills rather than construction and demolition (C&D) landfills. Municipal solid waste landfills usually charge by the volume of materials entering their facility, while C&D landfills usually charge by weight.

may need to be sorted out of the bags or the recycling center may sort the materials. Workers could also be required to take all lunch refuse with them, and encouraged to make their own arrangements for recycling it.

- - N0TE:Aluminum. glass, plastic, and steel containers will be banned from Wisconsin's landfills as

of January 1, 1995, unless under variance (see note on page 3).

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Time, Space and Money Although builders' attitudes toward waste reduction and recycling have never been measured, the vision of builders saying "I have no time, no space on my job sites, no money, and it will never work!" in response to this guidebook certainly does not stretch the imagination. Disposal costs are increasing and time, space and money are precious to every builder. Ironically, these factors help make construction waste recycling economical and efficient.

When landfill disposal costs increase, Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling (the 3R's) often become less expensive in comparison to landfilling. When this happens, builders can "avoid" high disposal costs by using the "3R's" to divert their waste materials from the landfill. In return, avoided landfill cost can help offset the costs of the 3R's.

However, reducing, reusing, and recycling construction waste does not become less expensive than landfilling for all materials. Two main factors determine if a waste material becomes more expensive to landfill than to reduce, reuse and recycle. The first factor is the volume and bulk of each waste material. The second factor is the market demand for each material.

First, builders pay for waste disposal based on volume. When starting to reduce, reuse and recycle construction waste, builders should concentrate on bulky, high volume waste materials. This will enable builders to avoid landfill costs from the start and better offset the costs of new waste management practices. Therefore, builders may want to concentrate on finding disposal alternatives for high volume wastes, such as wood and corrugated cardboard, before low volume waste, such as glass and plastic.

Second, economical opportunities are lost by landfilling materials with high recycling market demand. Materials that have high market demand usually receive a favorable price when sold. If diverted from the landfill and sold to a recycler, waste materials with high market demand help offset waste management costs more than diverting materials with low market demand. Therefore, builders may want to concentrate on finding disposal alternatives for materials that have high market demand, i.e materials that recyclers pay the most for or charge the least to accept.

Making smart waste management choices from the start will help builders minimize costs and reduce, reuse and recycle more waste materials in the long run. To make wise waste management decisions, builders should monitor rising disposal costs and the market demand for waste materials in their area.

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Even better, builders could work together in changing their waste management practices. As stated before, builders value time, space and money. These factors usually stimulate competition between builders. Under Wisconsin's wide encompassing recycling law, __ however, trying to save time, space and money may influence builders to work together.

Builders, for example, can work together to develop centralized recycling and reuse facilities for construction waste materials. Central recycling centers can save space by allowing builders to combine recyclable waste materials into fewer piles or containers at the job site. Recycling centers can save builders time by doing the sorting, marketing, and transporting of the waste materials. They also may repair reusable building materials. Centralized facilities can save builders money by replacing highly paid construction workers with lower paid employees to sort and process the wastes.

Builders also can work together to reduce the quantity of waste the industry generates. By working with local builders associations, builders can develop training workshops for employees on how to maximize the use of construction materials and reduce waste, form committees to address construction waste issues, and lobby legislators to make waste management regulations economical and environmentally friendly. Together, builders also can encourage governmental officials to prioritize construction waste materials for recycling research funding and market development.

Conculsion

All in all, it will take time for builders to adjust their current waste practices to the mandates in Wisconsin's new recycling law. The Wisconsin Builders Association provides this guidebook as tool for builders to start planning now. Planning now can save time, space and money in the future. To start, builders should concentrate on high volume construction waste materials and materials that have high market demand. At the same time, builders can work together to centralize their efforts. If done properly, builders can make great strides in minimizing their waste management costs while maximizing their efforts to safeguard the environment and conserve resources.

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Appendix A Waste Exchange Programs,

Information based on a Fact Sheet produced by Sherri Gruder, Recycling Operations Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Extension,

Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center ISHWEC)

A waste exchange can help businesses find a market or an end user for materials they no longer need. It's a catalog system based on the premise that one businesses' discards can be another businesses' feedstock. For example, a busihess that makes bird houses may be able to use wood waste produced by builders.

Most waste exchanges are actually information exchanges. They do not handle the actual materials; they compile information about wanted or available waste and surplus materials. The information is usually provided in catalogs or on an electronic bulletin board service (BBS). Businesses contact one another to establish the actual exchange. Listings can be confidential, and some exchanges also provide information about waste manage- ment goods and services.

Usina a Waste Exchanae Service

Listing Materials Responding To Listings To list a material, builders can indicate materials available or needed, the amount of material, its physical state, and how often the material is available or needed. For materials available, also indicate how it is packaged, any con- taminants that may be present, its chemical formula (if a liquid), and the process that generated the material. Most exchanges allow confidential list- ing of material.

Businesses interested in materials that have a confidential listing contact the waste exchange service. The service then informs the generator about the interested business. The generator has the option of responding to the connect- ing business to negotiate transactions. Or the business may contact generators directly if the waste exchange provides the name and address of the generator.

Some of the waste exchanges that service businesses in Wisconsin include:

Industrial Materials Exchange Service (IMES) IMES is operated by the pollution prevention office of the Illinois EPA, and works in cooperation with 12 states including Wisconsin. The exchange publishes a bi monthly catalog. Builders in Wisconsin can obtain catalogs by calling the SHWEC at (608) 262- 0385, or the Wisconsin DNR at (608) 267-9523. In 1991, there were 486 listings by IMES and 2551 responses to those listings.

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National Materials Exchange Network (NMES) NMES is an electronic BBS that links industrial waste exchanges in the U.S. and some in Canada. It is operated by the Pacific Materials Exchange (PME), a nonprofit corporation based in Spokane, Washington through a grant from the EPA. To list with NMES use a computer with a modem. Any business or industry may list materials by calling (800) 858- 6625. There is no charge for the service and it is available 24 hours a day.

Wisconsin Electric Power Company (WEPCO) WEPCO is planning a Waste Material and Environmental Information Exchange for fall, 1993. It will serve businesses that are WEPCO customers from South Eastern Wisconsin. The exchange will be accessed by mail or fax. For information about WEPCO call (41 4) 221-2000 or (800) 222-9288. This waste exchange will also link businesses with governmental agencies, universities and UW-Extension programs, libraries, and organi- zations that can assist with environmental issues.

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