Construction and Demolition Debris Recycling

Links to Additional Resources

Construction and Demolition Case Studies and Publications

U.S. EPA. EPA's Construction and Demolition (C&D) Debris website provides information and links to extensive resources and organizations covering the characterization, reduction, reuse, recycling and management of C&D debris.

Construction Waste Management Database. The Whole Building Design Guide 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.

Blue Book of Building and Construction. National publisher of regional directories for the building and construction trades and professions.

Construction Materials Recycling Association. CMRA is the first association devoted exclusively to the needs of the rapidly expanding North American construction waste and demolition debris processing and recycling industry.

Beyond Waste. This deconstruction and salvaging company takes buildings apart from the top down. They also operate a warehouse where it sells building materials back to the community. This site also contains case studies periodically.

INFORM, Inc. This site has a excellent report available titled Building for the Future: Strategies to Reduce Construction & Demolition Waste in Municipal Projects. Topics discussed includes asset management, developing a waste management plan, dedicated space design, deconstruction techniques, and material reuse.

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. This website provides a guide to C&D recycling, sample documents, and case studies highlighting techniques for saving money and protecting the environment through reuse and recycling of construction and demolition debris.

Oikos. This site has information on green building sources, a searchable database for green building products, and an a green building mailing list in which leading professionals from around the world discuss all aspects of environmental responsibility in building design and construction.

Renewable Energy Policy Project (formerly Solstice). A site containing information on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable technology information. Also contains many other links to related topics.

The Whole House Recycling Project. This case study, developed by the National Association of Homebuilders Research Center, documents the economics of dismantling a 1,280 square foot, two-story house in Portland, Oregon in 1993. An architect and a local demolition firm found that the hand labor required to dismantle the building for salvage was competitive with the cost of conventional demolition.

Whole House Building Supply. This deconstruction and salvaging company sells quality building materials that have been donated or salvaged from homes and businesses. They also conduct house salvage sales at homes that are slated for demolition. There is also information on what items are salvageable and procedures for removal.

Other CIWMB Programs

One Man's Trash Is Another Man's Treasure
Would you like to consider a 'material exchange program' either statewide or in your local area? Please take a look at the Board's CalMAX Materials Exchange and the local exchanges throughout the state.

Share Your Success And Learn From Others
Learn from others and share your 'waste prevention' success by contributing to the Board's Waste Prevention Information Exchange.

Zone-Related Assistance
Local business incentives may be found in the Recycling Market Development Zone (RMDZ) Program.

Last updated: November 01, 2007