Wast Management in Construction and Demolition - Research Paper Example

C&D waste would typically include most construction materials, such as concrete, wood, metals, gypsum wallboard, asphalt, and roofing materials; some have the opinion, however, that land-clearing debris that includes soil, tree stumps, and rocks should be included among C&D waste. Some would not consider these waste as they are materials that naturally occur in such form in nature, and are merely being relocated from the construction site. Some consider them as within the scope of C&D waste that must be addressed, because in the course of construction they would normally be hauled away for disposal (EPA, 2000, p. 2-1). 1.1. Historical background of C&D waste management and recycling industry There was a time when buildings were made to last, and it was not unusual to plan for structures to last for a hundred years or more.

More recently, however, the “throwaway society” made it a practice to regularly demolish relative new buildings in order to build new ones in its place, which were deemed better suited to the changing tastes and needs of society. The forecast is that between 2000 and 2030, about 50% of all buildings at present shall be reconstructed, and 27% will be completely replaced. According to Priesnitz (2007:21), this practice is now viewed as wasteful and environmentally unsustainable. As a consequence, the green building industry focuses on creating structures that will last a long time, consistent with former practices.

However, unlike the earlier practices, the new state of the art is aimed at creating structure that easily adapt and may be completely recycled if need be, instead of just being made to endure in the same state forever. The C&D recycling industry in the U.S. began to take shape in the 1990s, when “green” construction philosophies became the norm among companies in line with efforts to promote their corporate citizenship and social responsibility thrusts. In order to keep up with the competition, there likewise emerged the need to acquire Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for renovations as well as new structures.

LEED points are awarded construction firms which have effectively implemented C&D waste management programs (Fickes, 2011). Aside from internal industry competitive pressures, government regulation had a lot to do with the furtherance of systematic C&D waste recycling. Many localities, including several counties in California, Oregon, and Washington, and the state of Massachusetts, had banned outright the disposal of C&D waste in landfills. Furthermore, landfill fees have steadily increased, increasing the costs to construction companies and fuelling the incentive to recycle C&D wastes.

By 2009, the industry has grown to the point that Waste Management Inc. of Houston and McGraw Hill Construction of Massachusetts collaborated in profiling the fledgling C&D recycling industry, with some 200 building contractors surveyed and growth projections drawn until 2014. Their study shows that presently, contractors generate as much as 143 million tons of C&D waste yearly; roughly one-fourth of this (approximately 35 million tons) is recycled (Fickes, 2011:78). 1.2 Description and classification of C&D wastes The definition of C&D waste is a matter of importance, because the nature of the waste matter and the degree to which it is not contaminated by other waste materials determines the manner