Set up your own recycling station
According to Construction Specifications Canada, construction and demo waste makeup 23 percent of society’s overall waste and is the greatest producer of wood waste in North America. Builders may assume that environmentally friendly practices will hurt their bottom line, but waste diversion can reduce disposal costs by up to 30 percent.
Here are the tools and education to set up a successful recycling station including proper signage, a recycling station overview and a few tips towards your landfill diversion journey.
Our on-site recycling stations are for metal, cardboard, and plastic (ideal for foams, hard packaging from tools, or finishing items). The box bags size is 36” x 36” X 36”
A recycling station fits this bill perfectly and can be easily implemented at any point in a project, from the time the first crew is on-site to when the last person clocks out.
We will arrange for pick-up at your convenience, either bundled as a load of construction waste removal or on demand as needed. A full load (18 yards) of construction waste removed is $695 plus tax in the Lower Mainland. This price includes up to 1 ton of weight and any weight over that is charged out at transfer station / disposal facility rates with no additional markup added. If pickup is required only when the bags have reached capacity, the charge is $345 plus tax per service in the Lower Mainland.
In a study conducted by researchers at the University of British Columbia, placing a recycling station 1.5 meters away from a point of entry or exit can drastically boost recycling and composting rates by 141 percent. It all comes down to convenience.
Have left over wood from a past job? You can repurpose it and build the structure to hold recycling box bags. They are well labelled and can be locked up at the end of the day.
You can also set up smaller recycling areas inside your build to make it easy to separate your materials.
We recommend, for ease of pick-up, to place your recycling station adjacent to the main entry / exit to your site where our truck can easily back in.
We interviewed Built Green member Joe MacMullin owner and project manager of Adisa Homes Ltd about how one construction company is shifting their views on sustainable management practices. Read the interview here
Proper Signage
Signage is key on your site, labelling areas or spaces with proper information on where crew can put certain materials in places creates a huge impact.
Download signage for your recycling station by clicking the images below:
PLASTIC
METAL
CARDBOARD
WOOD
GARBAGE
Recycling Station Overview
Did you know that you could save 3-4 large garbage bags of plastic per waste load from hitting the landfill just by having a plastic recycling box bag on site? And did you also know that it takes 400+ years for plastic to decompose in the landfill, that’s right recycling makes a huge difference! Plus you should be excited as well as proud to make small steps towards big impacts when it comes to landfill diversion.
Click the below button to download our recycling station overview:
Metro Vancouver C&D Waste Reduction and Recycling toolkit
This toolkit contains a reference guide and directory to help contractors, project managers, and homeowners learn more about:
Demolition waste recycling requirements in different municipalities throughout Metro Vancouver
Resources for the management of hazardous materials commonly found in construction sites
Alternatives to traditional demolition
Ways to reuse and recycle leftover building materials
C&D facilities, recycling depots, and service providers in Metro Vancouver
Click the below button to download the Metro Vancouver C&D Waste Reduction and Recycling Toolkit:
Construction Waste Calculator
The Construction Waste Calculator is based on the construction waste information collected from over 100 LEED-certified residential projects from across Canada by our friends at Light House Sustainability Society.
Source separation on site is the best way to ensure the highest possible diversion rates, estimating the quantities of material will enable you to plan for waste management and maximize their recycling rates. This calculator can serve as an important component of your construction waste management plan.
Click the below button to connect to the Construction Waste Calculator:
TIPS FOR GREENING YOUR CONSTRUCTION SITE
1. Set up a designated recycling station. Dedicate bins or a site area for diverting materials such as metal, cardboard, plastics, drywall, clean wood as well as reusable building materials. Not only does taking metal to the scrap yard keep these materials out of the landfill, you’ll generate funds to help pay for end-of-the-week beers or treats for the crew. It’s a win-win!
2. Encourage designs that create less waste creation. Raise awareness of expected environmentally conscious waste management practices at the beginning of the project, we need to lead by example. Use standard sizes and qualities of materials and always plan ahead to reduce cut-offs and over-ordering, unless used items can be returned or donated.
3. Think twice before you toss it. Could it be reused? Usable lumber up to 4 feet can be taken to not for profits such as Habitat for Humanity; Restore, Squamish ReBuild, Urban Repurpose, and Whistler Re-Build-It Centre - extra dimple mat or blue rigid insulation is also a great material to donate too. Give them a call and they will be sure to answer all your donation questions!
4. Deconstruction is the future. Dismantle buildings rather than knock them down to increase the amount of undamaged materials that can be salvaged and donated.
5. Reusable mugs and bottles DO make an impact. Invest in reusable mugs or water bottles for your crew, since nearly half of the garbage collected on construction sites are from single-use coffee cups and containers. As an extra step, supply a water service for your site. Less plastic water bottles the better! Also look into cup share programs such as Cuppy, Mugshare, and The Nulla Project
6. Be a recycling hero! Take the lead on-site. Download the Recycling Council of B.C.’s mobile Recyclepedia app. It’s a quick and simple tool that helps you find more than 1,000 drop-off locations and recycling options for over 70 materials or products across the province or give your local Recycling Hotline a call.
We are the first waste hauling company in Canada to implement award-winning on-site recycling stations on construction sites to make sorting recyclables easier. Each of our recycling stations can divert nearly half a tonne (300 pounds) from the landfill, and our crews hand-sort every load to ensure the maximum tonnage of recyclables are diverted.
We donate reusable materials to non-profits, such as Habitat for Humanity; ReStore. You can even request a waste audit and photo documentation, so you’ll know exactly where your materials end up.
As a financial incentive, keeping recyclables out of landfills reduces waste management costs.