Construction Materials are the items discarded after a construction or demolition project.
Types of materials include:
- Concrete
- Tile
- Wood/Lumber
- Plastics
- Doors
- Windows
- Insulation
- Carpet
How to rent a Roll-Off dumpster to recycle construction materials in Calumet City, Illinois
Because of chemical treatments applied to many construction materials, it is encouraged to recycle as much of the materials as possible. Sustainable Resources made a useful guide to sorting out supplies and how to recycle responsibly.
Materials Separation
Containers for material recycling must be set up on site and clearly labeled. Construction personnel must be trained in material sorting policy, and bins must be monitored periodically to prevent waste mixing as a result of crews or passersby throwing trash into the bins.
Some materials will require bins or storage that protect from rain. Other bins may be locked to prevent tampering.
Recycling and Waste Minimization Guidelines
Lumber
- Optimize building dimensions to correspond to standard lumber dimensions.
- Modify framing details to optimize lumber use and reduce waste and inform framing contractor of your plan.
- Develop detailed framing layouts to avoid waste when ordering lumber.
- Store lumber on level blocking under cover to minimize warping, twisting and waste.
- Set aside lumber and plywood/OSB cut-offs that can be used later as fire blocking, spacers in header construction, etc.
- In remodeling, evaluate whether salvaging used lumber is possible.
- Save small wood scraps to use as kindling for clients or crew members (no treated wood).
- Larger pieces of leftover lumber (6′ or more in length) can be donated to Habitat for Humanity.
- Save clean sawdust for use in compost piles or around gardens. Avoid sawdust that might contain painted or treated wood. This should be bagged separately.
Drywall
- Order drywall in optimal dimensions to minimize cut-off waste. Drywall is available in different lengths, and designed dimensions should correspond to standard sizes.
- Large drywall scraps can be set aside during hanging for use as filler pieces in areas such as closets.
- Technology exists for recycling drywall into textured wall sprays, acoustical coatings, gypsum stucco, fire barriers, or agricultural products. Large pieces of drywall (full to half sheets) can be donated to Habitat for Humanity.
- Reuse joint compound buckets for tool or material storage by clients or crews.
