Construction Waste Re-Use and Recycling
 Are You Remodeling? Building?
Reduce Your Waste!
It's the right thing to do.
It's the economic thing to do.
And it's easier than you think.
| What To Do:
Buy Salvage Sometimes you can find just what you need at a used building materials store.
ReNew: A convenient, central location for a wide range of reusable and green building items. Town Crier Drive, (off Putney Rd, opposite Shell Station), Brattleboro VT (802) 246-2400 www.renewsalvage.org
ReCOVER: Another building materials store in White River Junction, Vermont (802) 296-7241 www.coverhomerepair.org
Vermont Salvage, Inc.: An architectural salvage business with a huge selection of antique and historic pieces. White River Junction VT (802) 295-7616 Manchester, NH (603) 624-0868
Local Color Paint: A Vermont-made premium re-blended paint, available at ReNew (802) 246-2400 Deconstruct Instead of Demolish!
Start with a "Softstrip"
Walk through a remodeling or demolition project before work starts to take out the easy-to-remove, reusable and valuable items.
Systematic Deconstruction
Careful dismantling for reuse of materials and reduction of waste -- ask your contractor if they do deconstruction or call ReNew, they often provide the service for free.
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Why It's Worth It:
What a Waste!
Windham County generates enough construction waste in a year to fill 2,571 dumpsters placed end-to-end from Brattleboro to Putney! That's 11 miles, over 9,000 tons, and over 25% of the waste we send to the landfill.
An Opportunity
Much construction waste can be reused or recycled.
Your Trash May Be Someone Else's Treasure!
Fixtures and materials you don't need can be used in other building projects; make someone happy!
Save Money
Buying used building materials can save you 50% or more over new materials. Donating reusable items saves you the cost of disposal. Recycling construction waste can be less expensive than regular disposal.
Less Cutting and Digging
When lumber, metals, and aggregates are reusedor recycled, fewer trees have to be cut and lessmining has to be done -- and mining is one ofthe most damaging activities on Earth.
Create Jobs
The Recycling industry is a major employerproviding more jobs than the US auto industry. Re-use and recycling creates meaningful work for people -- green jobs mean a healthier planet! |
If It's in Good Enough Shape To Be Re-Used:
Sell It:
Vermont Salvage may be interested in buying your architectural or antique items.
Donate It:
Take reusable material to a non-profit re-use center like ReNew or ReCOVER (see above) for a tax-deductible donation.
Give It Away:
Put reusables in a "Free Pile."
Post It:
Post reusables on a Materials Exchange listing -- a free online bulletin board linking generators of a diverse assortment of reusable materials with those who could use them.
The Vermont Business Materials Exchange
http://www.vbmx.org
New Hampshire Materials Exchange
http://www.wastecapnh.org/nhme
Massachusetts Materials Exchange
http://www.materialsexchange.org
If It's Trash, It Still Might Be Recyclable:
When deciding which recycling service is most suitable, consider location and type of waste material. Ask your construction waste hauler if they offer recycling services, or use these local services:
Cardboard: Most jobs, especially new construction, generate a lot of cardboard. Keep it clean and separate and you'll be able to recycle it. Almost all haulers offer cardboard recycling.
Compostable Construction Waste: Cardboard, sheetrock, and untreated and unpainted wood wastes are composted in Massachusetts through a local program. Call Triple T Trucking in Brattleboro for service or information (802) 254-5388. WSWMD also accepts this waste stream at our facility on Old Ferry Rd in Brattleboro.
"Clean Wood": Waste wood (no treated wood, no sheetrock) is used as fuel for biomass plants in New England that produce electricity. Accepted at Keene Transfer Station (603) 352-5739 for a reduced fee.
Aggregates: Asphalt millings, concrete, blocks and brick can be recycled for use in new products. Zaluzny Excavating, Brattleboro (802) 254-5758.
Tips for Construction Waste Reduction
- Walk through your local used building materials store to see what they carry and accept.
- Plan Ahead. Make a waste reduction or recycling plan before starting work, and communicate it to all parties. Create a system of where things go so you handle materials as little as possible to save labor.
- Remove salvage items early in the process.
- Re-use scrap on the job. Use one centralized wood-cutting station to promote reuse.
- Look for materials on the materials exchanges (VBMX, NH Materials Exchange).
- Use standard dimensions to reduce cut-off waste.
- Get a grant from the State to create your own innovative project.
For additional tips and grant program information see the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation's Construction Waste Reduction Pages
Other Resources
Windham Solid Waste Management District
327 Old Ferry Rd., Brattleboro, VT 05301
Phone (802)257-0272 | Fax 257-5122 | E-mail recycle@wswmd.org
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