U.S. General Services Administration
Construction and Demolition Waste
GSA reduces waste by recycling or reusing material generated from construction and demolition projects. By reducing waste sent to a landfill, GSA reduces its impact on landfill space, while also reducing project costs. Examples of reusable materials are: aggregate, cardboard, carpeting, ceiling tiles, concrete, drywall, metal, shingles, are wood.
In the Rocky Mountain Region, a plumbing replacement project for the Denver Federal Center produced over 500 porcelain toilets slated for landfill disposal. GSA recycled them, along with debris from the demolition of eight buildings and two concrete slabs, as aggregate. Savings totaled $37,125 - from the recycling of 75,000 tons of material that was used as backfill and road base material on-site. And the community benefited too - by avoiding the traffic and other impacts from the 319 semi-truckloads of material that would have been otherwise transported through their area.
Sustainability and Environmental Management Program
Objectives
- Reduce demolition waste to landfill
- Reduce secondary waste to landfill
- Recycle materials
Targets
- Review recycling and reuse options for all construction and demolition projects
- "Divert at least 50 percent of non-hazardous construction and demolition materials and debris" [EO 13693 Sec. 3 (j)(iii)]
Federal, State, and Local Policy Regulations
- Executive Order (EO) 13693 - Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade [PDF - 341 KB], March 25, 2015; this revokes EO 13424 and 13514.
- Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings Memorandum of Understanding
- High Performance and Sustainable Buildings Guidance
Additional Resources
- Construction & Demolition Recycling Association (CDRA)
- Earth911: Guide to local recycling resources
- EPA Construction and Demolition (C&D) Debris;
- Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) in Focus: Hazardous Waste Generator Guidance by Industry
- PWTB 200-1-23 Guidance for the Reduction of Demolition Waste through Reuse and Recycling
Region 8 State Recycling Associations
Procedures and Forms
- Construction and Demolition Procedure [PDF - 367 KB] - Revised May 15, 2012
- Pre-Demolition Inspection Procedure [PDF - 318 KB] - Revised May 22, 2012
For more information about recycling in the Rocky Mountain Region please contact Marion Buntyn at marion.buntyn@gsa.gov or 303-236-1977.