Conservation-wise Construction
Jobsite Recycling for the DIY Homeowner
Steve Dressen, Pinnacle Construction & Design
Jobsite recycling may seem overwhelming when you first think about it, but a little planning before the job starts will make the process easy and will actually save you money, which in turn can help bring your project in under budget or allow you to splurge on a finishing detail that otherwise would just be spent on dumpster fees.
Remodeling projects offer the greatest opportunities to recycle, since you have all the existing fixtures and materials to contend with. The list in the sidebar shows where the majority of common items can be recycled for both remodels and new construction. When starting the planning and design stage of a project, think about the layout. Take into consideration the standard sizes of lumber to maximize their use and keep the construction waste to a minimum. In a remodeling situation, try to reuse some of the materials that will be removed, such as framing lumber and beams.
Before the project gets started, take an inventory of all the items that can be recycled and create a staging area where the items can be kept out of the way until they are taken to the appropriate places. Recycling bins can be used for smaller items and labeled for content. Keep these smaller bins close to the worksite so they are easy for subcontractors to use. Stage the larger items where they can easily be loaded later, but out of the way enough so they don't get damaged. Twin Enviro Services will provide a dumpster for both job site trash and recyclable materials. Twin Enviro will pick up your dumpster, unload the reusables at Home ReSource and then dump the trash. You are only charged for the part of the dumpster that had trash in it, and you get a Donation Receipt from HR that you can deduct on your taxes. But it is your job to keep the dumpster organized. It's helpful to talk to the staff at Home ReSource and Twin Enviro about how they like the dumpsters organized to make the process easy for everyone. They can put some old hollow-core door slabs in the dumpster when they bring it to your job that you can use for separating materials or if you have some old plywood or pallets they work well for this also. If your project is small like a bathroom remodel, it will be more cost effective for you to haul the trash and recyclable materials yourself.
While designing a new space for the immediate future, also consider what that space may be used for in the more distant future or in tandem with current uses. For example, a new in-home office might also be used for a guest room, or a child's new bedroom may become an office or studio down the road after the child leaves home. Adding features that will benefit both situations may cost a little more upfront, but will help eliminate the need to remodel in the future.
One of the key factors in successfully recycling on the job is getting the subcontractors on board. Some subcontractors may already have their own recycling program in place. Talk with each at the beginning of the job to make sure you don't have any overlap. As a homeowner, contracting your own job, you can save money if you take care of the subcontractors' recycling. Posting a list on or near the recycling bins listing what can be recycled will make it easy for everyone. You can also give a copy of this list to each subcontractor when you have your first meeting with them at the job site.
The savings for recycling over straight trash dumping can be anywhere from 15% for clean wood and drywall to as much as 100% for metals such as steel, aluminum and copper. Wood and drywall need to be free of stain and paint to be compostable. Drywall with paint can still be ground up and used for cover on the roads at the landfill, so you can still get a discount for it. Wood can have nails and screws in it and still be composted. Twin Enviro's composter has magnets in the machine that collect all the nails and screws during the composting process. Also, wood studs and lumber longer than six feet can be donated to Home ReSource even if they have nails and screws in them or have been stained or painted. It is important to call Twin Enviro and Home ReSource ahead of time to discuss which materials from your project can be reused or recycled.
For a more in-depth view on job site recycling go to www.yampavalleyrecycles.org and click on the link for “Construction Recycling Guidelines.”
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