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Construction Tech Source

Last Modified
February 16, 2001

CONSTRUCTION WASTE RECYCLING PROGRAMS

PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS

Numerous programs are currently recycling construction waste, including:  Portland, Oregon; West Valley City, Utah; San Francisco, California; Des Moines, Iowa; and Ruckersville, Virginia. Diversion of waste from landfills varies, but all of these programs claim success in separating and reusing resources that were previously buried in the ground. Click here for descriptions of these projects:

Recycling Program Links:

Construction and Demolition Debris Recycling
"Disposal of construction and demolition (C&D) debris wastes resources and shortens the life of landfills. In 1990, 46 of California's 530 jurisdictions reported C&D tonnage as a separate category in the solid waste stream. Their reported figures ranged from 0 to 55%, and averaged to 28%. The Board identified C&D debris waste as a priority program in its market development plan - Meeting the 50 Percent Challenge: Market Development Strategies Through the Year 2000. Reduction of  C&D materials to landfill disposal will help meet California's mandated diversion goal of 50% by 2000. "

- http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/ConDemo/   

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Green Institute Home Page
"Welcome to The Green Institute The Green Institute is a nonprofit economic development organization focused on sustainable enterprise. Incorporated in 1993, the Institute originated from an environmental justice movement against the siting of a large garbage transfer station in a residential area of the Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis."

- http://www.greeninstitute.org/ 

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Clean Washington Center Online
"The Clean Washington Center (CWC) was established by the Washington State Legislature in 1991 as the primary state organization to develop markets for recycled materials. Since that time, CWC has worked in partnership with business, industry, and local government to increase the manufacturing capacity for materials recovered from the waste stream, thereby conserving our natural resources, lowering solid waste costs and strengthening the local economy."

- http://www.cwc.org/about.htm 

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Natural Life Magazine #41 - Reusing, Recycling and Revitalizing
"Reuse and recycling programs are spurring community economic development across North America. Preventing plastic bottles, castoff coffee tables, scrap lumber and old clothing from finding their final resting place in a landfill or incinerator is reward enough by some standards. But some reuse and recycling companies have moved a step further. Coupling environmental benefits with job creation and community involvement, they are able to play a vital role in shaping the local economy."

- http://www.life.ca/nl/41/reuse.html  

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Rebuilding Center
"We are a non-profit used building materials outlet in Portland, Oregon. We function like a thrift store, except we only carry building and remodeling materials. Only five minutes from the county's waste transfer station, we divert a large quantity of reusable building and remodeling materials from Portland's waste stream.  We also provide low-cost building and remodeling materials to all members of our community out our retail outlet store. Materials are provided free of charge to non-profits specializing in low-income housing development."

- http://www.rebuildingcenter.com/ 

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The Loading Dock

"The Loading Dock, Inc. (TLD) is the first successful, self-sufficient, nonprofit recycler of reusable building material in the nation. TLD began in 1984 as a grassroots answer to a deficit in resources for low income housing rehabilitation and development. Establishing a nonprofit clearinghouse for usable surplus building material was motivated by the poor housing conditions in Baltimore's low income communities. The founders of TLD saw the need to match excess building material waste with a large number of low income people in need of low cost building material for new or improved housing."

- http://www.loadingdock.org./ 

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Yellowstone Regional Resource Directory
"Yellowstone Region Greening Resource Directory for Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah."

- http://www.greendesign.net/resdir/ystone/index.htm