Creative Use of Construction Waste

Accepting that the first steps toward responsible use of raw materials and their resulting finished products, we also accept that there is waste in all processes – including construction. So how can one creatively use the left-over materials - giving them a new life?

The first step is to separate the materials at the site. While most of the C&R Waste companies who offer recycling services will accept co-mingled waste, the exercise of separating creates awareness in your waste stream, and minimizes contamination and makes the material more readily available for return or re-use. It is also a way for the estimators to get feedback on actual quantities used, and may offer some insight on better construction practices for the use and layout of materials.

ReStore Volunteer Frank Hay

The re-use may be related to the job, through an organized re-seller (such as Habitat Re-Stores), or ultimately – linking your smaller batches of product to a consumer who would really appreciate it. The Pacific Northwest seems to be the hotbed for sustainable materials and creative re-use. There is a terrific Construction Salvage and Recycling Guide available on the web, which does a really good job of breaking down the whole deconstruction process.

Re-use on site is the most efficient. On my recent construction site, a wood chip truck converted all the remnant bits of wood and wood products into mulch. Some of the commercial C&D Waste companies have also incorporated this into their service. Gypsum board can be reground, and added to highly acidic soils, can be used as an absorptive material for animal bedding ( really!), or as water/sludge/manure treatment (California Integrated Waste Management Board).

Some of the waste may not even stay on the site. For example, the concrete industry has figured out a way to use up any left-over product in the trucks. This is dumped into wall “paver” forms, where the particular mix design or time in the truck doesn’t really matter. Old concrete is already crushed and re-used for aggregate, but I’ve also seen a creative uses pieces of concrete forming a retaining wall, or even a patio.

The finer-tuned, and smaller scale re-use requires a bit more creativity, but can also help link your project/ company to the community. For example, what about donating left-over 2 x 10’s to a community garden program for raised beds? Or conducting a ““yard sale” at edge of the job-site to sell salvaged items? While each of these approaches will require more staff time, it also buys you a great deal of good PR – which could be very valuable in getting community support of future business.

We are all part of a closed loop - cradle to grave, ashes to ashes – the earth in balance.