Green Building > Alternatives to Waste

Alternatives to Waste

The Green Building Group at the Washington State Department of Ecology was formed largely in response to the enormous amount of waste generated by the construction industry: approximately 1/3 of all waste landfilled in the U.S. is construction related.

Construction, demolition, and landclearing debris (CDL) are wastes generated at new construction, remodeling, and demolition sites, as well as wastes that come from road and utilities projects. CDL waste includes concrete, pavements, roofing materials, wood products, glass, carpet, paint, gypsum wallboard, appliances, and fixtures, to list just a few. With a little forethought much of these materials can be diverted from landfills.

CDL materials are heavy, bulky to transport, and require expensive landfill space. To put the amount of CDL waste landfilled in Washington State into perspective, consider the following numbers:

CDL Waste Disposed by Washington Citizens in 1997 and 2007
17th Solid Waste Status Annual Report, p. 87

Waste Types Disposed	1997 (tons)	2007 (tons)
Demolition (roofing shingles, dry wall, carpet, insulation, pipes, wires, etc.)	462,784	1,085,620
Inert (cured concrete, road asphalt, brick, masonry, ceramic, glass, etc.)	117,512	1,386,971
Wood	41,615	40,579
Asbestos	10,369	103,686
TOTAL TONS	632,280	2,616,856

The 2.6 million tons of CDL waste Washington builders and homeowners threw away in 2007 could fill approximately 6.5 Tacoma Domes (assuming the waste is compacted to 1,000 lbs per cubic yard). Some wastes, like asbestos-containing or lead-based painted materials, cannot be safely re-used or recycled and are destined to end up in a landfill. The green building movement questions this 'dead-end' approach and emphasizes the importance of using only those materials that can be safely reclaimed at the end of their service life.

CDL waste not only uses landfill space, but also creates potentially harmful leachate and gases that must be monitored and treated for decades after the waste has been burried. CDL disposal also contributes to air pollution and climate change due to emissions associated with transportation, compaction, and waste decomposition.

Washington state's Climate Action Team, through the Beyond Waste Implementation Working Group, reports that diverting CDL from landfills to other uses can significantly reduce green house gas emissions. According to their estimates, 1.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents can be eliminated per year if alternative CDL waste management strategies are used. (17th Solid Waste Annual Status Report, p. 5)

Solid Waste Information Clearinghouse

Ecology's Waste 2 Resources Program worked with a planning committee comprised of local governments to develop the Solid Waste Information Clearinghouse to foster information-sharing among local governments. The Information Clearinghouse encourages government professionals to exchange experiences, information, and resources about solid waste programs and activities with colleagues around the state.

A growing number of green building programs are being implemented by local governments throughout Washington. To learn more, visit https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/swicpublic/. Green building information can be found in Projects, Resources, and under the Solid Waste Activities section of the City/County Profiles and State Profile.

Other useful links for finding alternatives to waste:
U.S. EPA on Construction and Demolitions Materials
U.S. EPA Lifecycle Building Challenge
King County Construction Recycling
Ecology's Recycle Hotline/Database

Waste reduction, re-use, and recycling continue to be central to green building practices. Common waste reduction strategies that can be used by contractors and homeowners are addressed under the subsections on the left.