Beyond Waste home > Navigate to a plan section > Recommendation GB4 - Expand capacity and markets for reusing and recycling construction and demolition materials

Recommendation GB 4 — Expand capacity and markets for reusing and recycling construction and demolition materials.

There is a lack of sufficient reuse and recycling infrastructure statewide. The next five years of Beyond Waste implementation will work on expanding these options.

• Identify places where additional capacity is needed for reuse and recycling of building materials, and begin planning to provide it.
• Initiate an outreach effort to contractors not currently building green to determine what needs to be in place (such as incentives or infrastructure) for them to implement job-site recycling programs.
• Continue to build markets for salvaged and recycled building materials.
• Promote reuse of existing building stock as an important waste reduction strategy.

In addition to recycling, it is important to divert as much construction and demolition debris from the waste stream as possible. Significant amounts of construction waste currently sent to a landfill or recycled could be re-used. Place continued emphasis on reuse and salvage. There are a number of deconstruction and salvage businesses in Washington. Residents across the state should have easy access to these organizations.

Milestone GB D: Ten percent of all certified green building projects achieve credits for using existing building stock or salvaged materials, and/or at least 75 percent waste diversion during construction.

Links and Resources

• Information Clearinghouse
• Alternatives to Waste

<-- Back              Next -->

Back to main initiative