Recover Your Resources
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
Construction and Demolition Materials
at Land Revitalization Proiects

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       Don't   waste  your  resources

       Sustainable reuse of brownfield properties includes efforts to reduce the environmental impact by reusing and
       recycling materials generated during building construction, demolition, or renovation. Typical construction
       and demolition (C&D) materials include wood, drywall, cardboard, brick, concrete, metal, insulation and glass.
Preliminary estimates from the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) show that the nation
generated more than 160 million tons of building
related construction and demolition (C&D) materials
in 2003. According to the most recent data available
(2003), nearly 53 percent of all building-related C&D
materials are the result of demolition activities, 38
percent of the materials are produced by renovation
activities, while approximately nine percent are the
result of construction. Of the total building-related
C&D materials generated, EPA estimates that only
40 percent were reused, recycled, or sent to waste-
to-energy facilities, while the remaining 60 percent of
the materials were sent to C&D landfills.
                There are numerous opportunities to recover and use C&D materials at
                brownfields and land revitalization sites, including:
                •  Brownfields often have abandoned or unwanted buildings onsite in
                  need of demolition. Materials recovered can be reused onsite, sold
                  through local markets, or recycled offsite.
                •  Brownfields are frequently located in urban areas near transportation
                  hubs. Being close to transportation corridors allows a developer to
                  reuse current infrastructure and provides easy access to potential
                  markets for C&D materials.
                •  Renovation or new construction on former brownfields provides
                  owners/developers with an opportunity to buy recycled-content
                  building products, return, sell or donate unused building materials,
                  and send other materials for recycling.

                Several brownfields and land revitalization projects have achieved
                significant C&D recovery rates through recycling, salvage for reuse or
                resale, composting, and other methods. These C&D material recovery
                activities are achieved at lower costs than landfilling, resulting in
                significant cost-savings and avoided associated  environmental impacts.
                For example, the dismantlement of Nashville Thermal Transfer, a
                waste-to-energy facility in Nashville, TN, resulted in 98.5% reuse and
                recycling of its equipment and C&D materials. Over 100 internet auction
                events sold over 1,000 tons of equipment and materials, (bringing in
                over $980,000 in revenue). In addition, thousands of tons of crushed
                aggregate were transferred off-site for use as backfill, and crushed
                asphalt was used off-site for a perimeter road.

                Generation of Construction and Demolition
                Waste Materials

                C&D materials are generated during new construction, renovation, and
                demolition of buildings, roads, and other structures. C&D materials
                include brick, concrete, masonry, soil, rocks, lumber, paving materials,
Integrate C&D Resource Recovery at Land  Revitalization  Projects
Pre-planning
  Ensure local policies and
  regulations support and/or
  promote C&D materials reuse/
  recycling activities
  Use contractors experienced
  in C&D materials reuse/
  recycling activities
  Incorporate C&D materials
  reuse/recycling language
  in Request for Proposal
  (RFP) language and contract
  specifications
Planning
•  Develop C&D recycling plan
•  State recycling goals
•  Identify materials for recovery
•  Assign roles and responsibilities
  (who, what, when, how)
•  Identify markets for recovered
  materials
Demolition
•  Salvage materials
•  Deconstruct structures to maximize
  quantity/quality of recoverable
  resources
•  Link a deconstruction project with a
  current construction or renovation
  project to facilitate reuse of
  salvaged materials
•  Sell or donate recovered materials
•  Reuse recovered materials onsite
•  Send materials for recycling offsite

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recover   them.
                                                                                                      WHAT CAN YDU
                                                                                                      SAVK TODAY


shingles, glass, plastics, aluminum (including siding), steel, drywall,
insulation, asphalt roofing materials, electrical materials, plumbing
fixtures, vinyl siding, corrugated cardboard, and tree stumps. If
properly planned, a vast majority of C&D materials can be recovered
through reuse and recycling, which conserves resources and energy.

What C&D Materials Cannot be  Reused or
Recycled?
A certain portion of the materials from construction and demolition
projects are toxic or classified as hazardous waste. Materials
generated in new construction that may require special handling
include latex paint, chemical solvents and adhesives. The materials
should be managed according to local regulations. Lead paint can
be planed, removed, and recycled at a lead smelter or disposed
of appropriately, while the remaining wood can also be reused or
recycled.

The age of structures involved in demolition projects ranges
considerably.  Many older buildings may contain materials that are no
longer allowed in  new construction, such as asbestos and lead-based
paint. Asbestos abatement is required prior to demolition. Asbestos
must be handled appropriately and disposed in a landfill that accepts
asbestos-containing material (ACM). Contact your landfill to find out if
they accept ACM.

Main C& D  Recovery Project Types
Deconstruction—A "soft" demolition technique, in which workers
dismantle a significant portion of a building in order to maximize
recovery of materials for reuse and recycling. In order for materials to
be reusable, they must be removed intact (e.g., windows and frames,
plumbing fixtures, floor or ceiling tiles) or in large pieces (e.g., lumber).


                                                                                              n     \
                                                                                              i&~.
                                                                                           CHALLENGE
                                                 Demolition—The complete removal of a building. Generally, after
                                                 extracting easily removable materials for reuse or recycling, workers
                                                 complete the demolition with heavy equipment. Additional recyclables
                                                 are often sorted from the rubble generated during these demolition
                                                 activities. In order to be recycled, materials must be separated from
                                                 contaminants (e.g., trash, nails, broken glass).

                                                 New Construction—Putting together all or part of a structure. Most
                                                 construction site debris is generated from packaging and when raw
                                                 materials are cut or sized. Workers can save large scraps for use
                                                 in other projects. Durable packaging and unused materials can be
                                                 returned to suppliers. Smaller scraps and non-durable packaging can
                                                 be source separated when produced and recycled.

                                                 Renovation—Partial removal of a building's interior and/or exterior
                                                 followed by construction. Contractors can adapt the same recovery
                                                 techniques as  above for renovation projects.

                                                 Main C&D Recovery Streams

                                                 Reuse—Many materials can be salvaged from demolition and
                                                 renovation sites and sold, donated, stored for later use, or reused
                                                 on the current  project. Typical materials suitable for reuse include
                                                 plumbing fixtures, doors, cabinets, windows, carpet, brick, light
                                                 fixtures, ceiling and floor tiles, wood, HVAC equipment, and decorative
                                                 items (including fireplaces and stonework).

                                                 Recycling—Materials can either be recycled onsite into new
                                                 construction or offsite  at a C&D processor. Typical materials recycled
                                                 from building sites include metal, lumber, asphalt, pavement (from
                                                 parking lots), concrete, roofing materials, corrugated cardboard and
                                                 wallboard.
      Construction/Renovation
      •  Design building to facilitate future changes
        including eventual deconstruction
      •  Reuse existing structure whenever possible
      •  Design for standard size building materials
      •  Buy environmentally preferable construction
        materials
      •  Sell or donate unused building supplies
      •  Contract with suppliers that will take back
        unused construction materials
      •  Send  materials for recycling
                                                                          Results
                                                                            Identify/quantify materials diverted
                                                                            from the waste stream
                                                                            Calculate cost-savings and other
                                                                            benefits
                                                                            Collect tax credits, rebates, green
                                                                            building certifications, and other
                                                                            incentives if applicable
                                                                            Communicate/report results

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Commonly Recovered  C&D  Materials       AsPhalt Pavin§
                                                                                    Asphalt is crushed and recycled back into
                                                                                    new asphalt. Markets for recycled asphalt
                                                                                    paving include aggregate for new asphalt
                                                                                    hot mixes and sub-base for paved road. For
                                                                                    more information on recycling asphalt, visit
                                                                                    www.arra.org
                                                                                                                                1111*1
                                                                                                                               mam
                                                                                   Land Clearing Residuals
                                                                                   Trees and brush—can be recycled as compost
                                                                                   or mulch; soil can be reused as fill and cover
Wood

Reuse timbers, large
dimension lumber, plywood,
flooring, molding, lumber
longer than 6 feet. Clean,
untreated wood can be
recycled, re-milled into flooring,
or chipped/ground to make
engineered board, boiler fuel,
and mulch.
Gypsum Wallboard

Remove and recycle gypsum drywall. Markets include
newdrywall manufacture, cement manufacture, and
agriculture. Unused drywall can be returned to a
supplier, donated, or sold. For more information on
recycling drywall visit, www.drywallrecycling.org
Buildings
Reuse large portions of existing structures
during renovation or redevelopment. Extending
the life cycle of existing building stock will
conserve resources, retain cultural resources,
reduce waste, and reduce environmental
impacts of new buildings as they relate to
materials manufacturing and transport.
                                                                                    Metals
    Recycle metals found at a construction,
    demolition, or renovation sites. Common metals
    include steel, aluminum, and copper. Local
    metal scrap yards or recyclers that accept metal
    materials are typically accessible. Metals are
    melted down and reformed into metal products.
    Markets are well established for metals. For
    more information on recycling metal visit www.
    isri.org and www.recycle-steel.org.
For all C&D materials,  hazardous

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                                                                            Concrete

                                                                            Concrete is commonly recycled. It is crushed, the reinforcement bar is
                                                                            removed, and the material is screened for size. Market outlets for recycled
                                                                            concrete include road base, general fill, pavement aggregate, and
                                                                            drainage media. For more information on recycling concrete visit www.
                                                                            concreterecycling.org
                 Brick
                 Reuse clean brick in historical restoration projects. Recycle clean brick
                 by crushing material. Market outlets for recycled brick include aggregate,
                 drainage media, and general fill.
                                                                                                  J   Roofing
                                                                                                  W/  (non-asphalt shingles)
                                                                                                  WM
                                                                                                       Reuse sheathing, terracotta, slate, or
                                                                                                       untreated cedar tiles. Metal materials
                                                                                                       can also be recycled.
                                                                                                       Asphalt Shingles

                                                                                                       Recycle asphalt shingles. After the
                                                                                                       removal of nails, asphalt shingles can
                                                                                                       be ground and recycled into asphalt
                                                                                                       mixes. For more information on
                                                                                                       recycling asphalt shingles, visit www.
                                                                                                       shinglerecycling.org
                                                                          Architectural Salvage
                                                                          Salvage for resale and reuse, doors and door frames, windows, structural
                                                                          systems, millwork, fixtures, and other materials. Wood structural systems rate
                                                                          highly for end-of-life reuse potential. Old mill buildings framed with large wood
                                                                          timbers are now treasure troves of material for new construction. Markets are
                                                                          well established and easily accessible.
or toxic materials should be removed and managed according to local regulations.

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The former Lucent Richmond Works facility, a 120-acre RCRA facility,
was fenced off and left idle, leaving behind over 700,000 square feet
of old and dilapidated manufacturing buildings. With coordination
between the developer, the previous site owner, EPA, and the Virginia
Department of Environmental Quality, the property is being revitalized
into The Shops of White Oak Village, a development that will feature
several restaurants, a hotel, national retail stores, and several regional
and local specialty shops. After demolishing the existing onsite
buildings, the developer diverted 84,500 tons of material from landfills,
achieving a 93 percent overall recycling rate. According to the project's
demolition contractor, the amount of materials diverted from landfills
could have filled two Richmond Coliseums. Cost-savings associated
with recycling and reuse of demolition materials are estimated to
be approximately $3.6 million. The developer is now applying for
Leadership in Energy and  Environmental Design (LEED) certification
from the U.S. Green  Building Council, further demonstrating a
commitment to sustainable development. For more information on this
project, please visit:
www.epa.gov/reg3wcmd/ca/va/pdf/vad066000993.pdf
            In July 2003, the City of Emeryville provided $1,175,000 in EPA
            Brownfields Revolving Loan funds to GreenCity LLC to assist with
            cleanup costs associated with the GreenCity Lofts property, a former
            paint factory. The GreenCity Lofts project team completed cleanup
            of the 0.9-acre property in December 2004 and 62 condominiums
            were constructed in 2005. Demolition of the former paint factory
            and warehouse buildings was necessary before construction of the
            lofts could begin. The project team employed C&D waste recycling
            practices including deconstructing (hand dismantling) the buildings
            on the former industrial property as an alternative to traditional
            demolition. As a result, 94.6 percent of the demolition waste was
            recycled, exceeding the nearby City of Oakland's legal requirement
            by 45 percent. In addition, 21,569 tons of excavated soil were diverted
            from disposal and used as Beneficial Cover at a local Class II Landfill
            reducing project cost by an estimated $496,708 in eliminated tipping
            fees. For more information on this project, please visit:
            www.epa.gov/bmwnfields/success/emeryvilleca_cd_ss_final.pdf
Brownfields Cleanup
and Redevelopment
EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states,
communities, and other stakeholders in economic
redevelopment to work together to prevent,
assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse
brownfields. The Brownfields Program provides
technical and financial assistance, including
grants for environmental assessment, cleanup,
and job training.
Federal Facilities
The Federal Facilities Restoration
and Reuse Program works with
other Federal and state agencies to
facilitate the cleanup and reuse of the
nation's Superfund Federal facilities,
including Base Realignment and
Closure (BRAG) sites.
Underground
Storage Tanks
The Underground Storage Tanks Program
supports States, territories, and other
partners in the cleanup and reuse of
properties contaminated by petroleum
releases from underground storage tanks
and works to better integrate eligible
petroleum brownfields into ongoing
restoration/revitalization activities.
www.epa.gov/brownfields/
www.epa.gov/fedfac/
www.epa.gov/swerust1/

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In December 2005, the cleanup of a two-acre former automotive
property in Detroit, Michigan was made possible through the
leadership of a local nonprofit organization and funding assistance
provided by EPA, in-kind services, and C&D waste recycling activities.
Working within a tight budget, Focus: HOPE Revitalization conducted
demolition and cleanup activities on the brownfields property for its
intended reuse as a parking lot for a planned mixed-use development
on the adjacent property. Largely, the C&D waste recycling activities
made the project feasible by reducing the total project cost by 20
percent, a savings of $150,000, through the recycling of approximately
1,200 tons of materials and over 13,000 gallons of waste water. As
a result, the property's reuse provided a catalyst to revitalization in
the surrounding neighborhood. For more information on this project,
please visit:
www.epa.gov/bmwnfields/success/Detmit_MI_Success_012808.pdf
              ,une 2003, EPA awarded Main South Community Development
            Corporation (CDC) in Worchester, Massachusetts a $200,000
            Drownfields Cleanup grant to address contamination discovered
              7.8 acres of the Gardner-Kilby-Hammond Neighborhood
            Revitalization Project—an ambitious $32 million dollar, 30-acre inner
            city neighborhood redevelopment project. Cleanup of contamination
            present in the soil and the abandoned industrial buildings was
            completed in March 2006. To help keep cleanup costs within Main
            South CDC's budget, McConnell Enterprises recovered multiple
            construction and demolition (C&D) materials from the abandoned
            industrial buildings, including:  10,000 cubic feet of concrete, 200 tons
            of steel, 50,000 broad feet of hard yellow pine, and several hundred
            tons of brick and granite. Salvaged materials were sold through local
            and global markets, reused onsite for new construction, or recycled,
            strengthening the local market for C&D materials. Main South CDC
            was able to reduce project costs significantly as a result of its C&D
            waste reduction strategies. Early planning and a phased approach to
            the cleanup and development of the property also allowed for a major
            phase of the Gardner-Kilby-Hammond Neighborhood Revitalization
            Project to move forward: the construction of a Boys and Girls Club and
            affordable housing for first-time homebuyers. For more information on
            this project, please visit:
            www.epa.gov/brownfields/success/worcester050108.pdf
RCRA Corrective
Action
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA) Corrective Action Program requires the
investigation and cleanup of hazardous releases
at operating facilities. The RCRA Reuse and
Brownfields Prevention Initiative encourages the
reuse and revitalization of RCRA sites so that the
land better serves the needs of the community
through more productive use or as greenspace.
Superfund
The Superfund Program manages cleanups of the
nation's uncontrolled hazardous waste sites that
pose a current or future threat to human health or
the environment. EPA's Superfund Redevelopment
Program encourages communities at every cleanup
site to consider anticipated future reuses early so
that cleanups can accommodate those uses, while
maintaining standards that protect human health and
the environment.
www.epa.gov/swerosps/rcrabf/
www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle/

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Benefits to  C&D  Recycling
  Reduces the
  production of
  greenhouse gas
  emissions and
  other pollutants
  by reducing  the
  need to extract raw
  materials and ship
  new materials long
  distances.

Conserves landfill
space, reduces
the need for new
landfills and their
associated cost.
Saves energy
and reduces the
environmental
impact of
producing new
materials through
avoided extraction
and manufacturing
processes.
Creates
employment
opportunities and
economic activities
in recycling
industries.
• Saves money by
  reducing project
  disposal costs,
  transportation
  costs, and the
  cost of some
  new construction
  materials by
  recycling old
  materials onsite.
   Expanding Markets for Deconstruction  Materials
   It's getting easier to find homes for your deconstruction materials and used equipment. Many
   deconstruction items can be reused "as is." Several cities now have stores that accept and
   resell donated surplus building materials and deconstruction materials. For instance Habitat
   for Humanity runs "Habitat Restores" which are retail outlets where quality used and surplus
   building materials are sold at a fraction of normal prices. Many affiliates across the United
   States and Canada operate successful Restores. There are several other independent stores
   as well. Some companies have found it useful to open up a building slated for demolition,
   partnering with non-profits or other groups to collect "deconstruction" items. There are
   also a number of auction or classified ad type websites where people can sell, donate, or
   advertise the need for materials and used industrial equipment. For more information on
   Habitat Restores, please visit, www.habitat.org/env/restores.aspx. Other similar reuse stores
   and online materials exchanges can be found in the Building Materials Reuse Association's
   directory:  www.buildingreuse.org.
Resources
• EPA Construction and Demolition—www.epa.gov/cdmaterials

• Construction Industry Compliance Assistance Center— www.cicacenter.org

• Building Material Reuse Association—www.buildingreuse.org

• Construction Material Recycling Association—www.cdrecycling.org

• National Recycling Coalition, Industrial Materials Recycling Council—
  www. industrialresourcescouncil. org/

• National Demolition Association—www.demolitionassociation.com

• EPA Industrial Materials Recycling—www.epa.gov/industrialmaterials
                                                                                                         Tinted on Recycled Materials
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
                             Office of Solid Waste
                             and Emergency
                             Response (5105T)
                                                      EPA-560-F-09-523
                                                      October 2009
                                                      www.epa.gov

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