Photos: Mike O'Brien

Getting rid of construction waste has become a big issue with many builders. With disposal fees steadily rising in most of the country, some builders have begun viewing their debris as something to be managed rather than simply discarded. In fact, a realistic waste management strategy can provide both short-term and long-term payoffs.

In the short term, many builders realize that anything wasted on the job costs them twice: once when it's purchased, and again when it's hauled off for disposal. Of course, disposal is a relatively tiny portion of the construction budget--about one-half of one percent of the cost of the typical home. But with the average builder earning a 5 percent profit margin, even small gains can make a difference. In the long term, minimizing the waste you generate can enhance your standing among potential customers by giving you a reputation as someone who strives to protect the environment. And that can only be good for business.

The National Association of Homebuilders Research Center recently teamed up with the Environmental Protection Agency to look for cost-effective, voluntary waste reduction and recycling opportunities for light-frame builders. The Center spent one year collecting background information and a second year helping a group of builders put the techniques into practice. All of the builders in the study at least broke even on their waste management efforts. Most actually saved money. NAHB has prepared a booklet called Residential Construction Site Waste: A Builder's Field Guide and video to educate builders about waste management.

Here's an overview of the study's suggestions.

Use less

Perhaps the best way to reduce the amount of debris you generate is to build with less in the first place. According to Peter Yost, a researcher on the project, NAHB found that with the average house, advanced framing techniques not only slashed $1000 from the cost, but also cut disposal fees by $100. Advanced framing involves moving studs from 16-in. to 24-in. on-center, eliminating unnecessary cripples and nailers, and other methods for reducing framing materials. (See ESB December 1991 and ESB February 1992.)

Know what you throw

Sifting through trash may not top your list of things to add to an already busy schedule. But a willingness to become acquainted with your waste can tell you volumes about how efficiently your crew and subcontractors use materials that affect your bottom line. "A lot of builders were surprised at what they were throwing out," says Yost. On one jobsite, for instance, the builder uncovered quite a bit of usable heating duct in the dumpster. In addition, the study found that builders who understood the waste stream were, in many cases, able to negotiate a better rate structure with their haulers.

The biggest barrier to this type of inspection is the dumpster, whose 6-ft.-high sides can conceal a multitude of unnecessary waste. If you're serious about managing your debris, dump the dumpster in favor of a debris pile that's fenced off with rolled wire or plastic mesh. Then use a hauler who will manually or mechanically pick up the debris from the fenced area. Having the pile in clear view eliminates costly containers, and decreases the chance that your crew will throw away useful materials. Although this option won't work everywhere, cleanup services have been cost-effective in areas with high disposal costs and established markets for common construction waste materials.

Hold subs accountable

When you buy materials for subcontractors you give them no incentive to use the materials wisely. To remedy this, make subcontractors responsible for ordering and buying their own materials. Making subs responsible for their own waste disposal gives them further incentive to use only what they need. (Of course, a lot of subs will balk at this last strategy.)

Reuse

Some materials can be reused on site. Large pieces of foam insulation can be laid beneath concrete floors. (Small scraps can be placed in the attic to beef up the R-value of tight spaces, but Yost reports that few builders in the study found it worth the effort.) Scratched or dented cabinets and doors can be donated to nonprofit groups, such as Habitat for Humanity, then taken as a tax-deductible charitable donation. Sheet flooring can be neatly rolled and stored for the homeowner. Brick and concrete waste can be used on site under walkways or driveways.

Blow your own horn

Be sure to tell current and potential customers about your waste management efforts. Advertising your company's commitment to resource-efficiency can set you above the competition. As advertising, give your customers a trash container as a move-in gift. The container can be imprinted with your company's logo and a recycling symbol forming the roofline of a house. Develop a one-page brochure explaining your company's construction waste management program, and the total landfill space per year your company is conserving. Give them the brochure along with the container. "If you're already building resource-efficient homes, this is a natural part of the package," says Yost.

For more information contact NAHB Research Center.

Most residential construction waste is recyclable. In order for recycling to work, however, you need to find a cost-effective way to separate, collect and transport the materials. If you can find five or more interested builders, Yost suggests pressing the local builders' associations to gather information about recycling opportunities. In Grand Rapids, Michigan, for example, the director of the local builder's association formed a committee that included waste haulers and the local government waste agency. One thing they did was to create a directory for builders that listed local waste management firms that accepted material for recycling.

In the meantime, here are some recycling opportunities for the most common construction debris.

Wood

Wood waste makes up 40 to 50 percent of what comes off a residential jobsite. Ground-up wood can be used for mulch, composting, animal bedding, landfill cover, as an industrial fuel source, and in "new" building products. A good source of information about recycled building products is the the Oikos Product Directory.

The American Forest and Paper Association publishes the National Wood Recycling Directory, a listing of recycling sites that accept wood waste, including construction debris. It costs $5.00. To order a copy call AFPA at 202-462-2700.

Drywall

Drywall comprises about 15 percent of the waste stream and weighs about one pound per square foot of living space. Drywall manufacturing plants are gradually adding the technology for recycling construction site wastes. Few currently take significant quantities, but Yost sees it as a growing trend. Some states also permit agricultural uses of ground gypsum wallboard.

An alternative is to cut drywall waste into small pieces and stack them in uninsulated wall cavities in closets, basements, and garages. According to Yost, this was probably the least popular strategy among builders in the NAHB study. While it can be cheaper than disposal, the drywaller may resist, the building inspector may not be too excited about it (though it doesn't violate code) and the homeowners may object.

Cardboard

Cardboard packaging doesn't add much to the weight of your debris. But it can account for up to 30 percent of the volume and, if unconsolidated, can send your dumpster to the landfill long before it's necessary. Pulling out cardboard is almost always worth the effort, says Yost. Many landfills and local recycling haulers take cardboard scraps.

On-site recycling

It's possible to grind up all wood waste and drywall and apply it to the site just before seeding or sodding the lot. However, many states or localities want proof that this won't harm soil or water quality. A low-speed, low-noise mobile grinding unit is best suited for jobsite service. Large production builders may consider purchase of the equipment. Smaller builders will have to arrange service with a hauler or waste processor interested in this method of waste management.

If all wood waste and drywall could be handled in this way, containment, transport, and landfilling costs would be eliminated for up to 65 percent of jobsite waste.