Residential Construction Waste Management Demonstration and ...

Drywall waste was generated at rates similar to the industry rule of thumb of one pound
of waste per square foot of living space.
Engineered wood products (containing adhesives) can account for as much as 50 percent
of total wood waste, an important consideration in exploring recycling opportunities for
wood.
Builders can improve their operations through a better understanding of their total waste
management costs. The most significant portion of total disposal costs frequently is not
tipping fees but rather the costs associated with the handling, containment, and transport
of waste materials. Although the focus on waste management costs is often the tipping
or per-ton disposal fee, handling, containment, and transport costs frequently are as
significant.
In addition to the waste assessments, the Research Center conducted workshops at each of the
selected sites. The workshops consisted of a session on waste reduction measures conducted for
the building industry and a session on reuse and recycling measures conducted for representatives
of local and state governments, the building and building materials industries, and private sector
waste haulers. Some key points from the workshop sessions include the following:
Builders were skeptical that the changes in construction and planning/design methods
presented at the sessions would result in significant waste reduction. A notable
exception was the use of supply-and-install subcontracts that create a direct financial
relationship between subcontractors and the efficiency with which they use materials.
Many builders felt that significant waste reduction could be achieved only through a
comprehensive reeducation process involving architects, engineers, builders, and
inspectors.
The sessions on recycling and reuse provided an important forum for exchange among
parties (builders, waste management firms, solid waste officials, and product
manufacturers) that seldom have this opportunity. All of these players may be required
in the development of local markets and channels of distribution. This forum can be a
key element for other communities seeking to develop alternatives to the disposal of
construction waste.
Recycled wood, given its significant processing costs and the absence of market
structures, cannot compete with sources of virgin wood fiber in the production of
building materials. The Research Center plans to work with the American Plywood
Association (APA) to determine the nature and need for research on the suitability of
engineered wood products for topical application either on the job site or in
mulching/landscaping operations.
Recycling drywall into new wallboard is feasible only in areas of the country close to
wallboard manufacturing plants that already have or can easily add the technology
required to handle waste wallboard processing. Through funding from the Gypsum
Association, the USDA Agricultural Research Service is currently determining the