World inside pictures Collect and share the best ideas that make our life easier
Nature gets too damaged in the past years, to levels where the governments had to take some radical steps in order to maintain the sustainability of the Earth. The construction industry is one of the biggest causes of negative environmental impact. It had to look for ways to mitigate their negative impact on nature. Because of these reasons, construction companies, which cause about one-third of all refuse nationwide, had to start using recyclable construction materials. Using recycling construction materials can help in a significant reduction of the negative impact of this industry over the environment we all live in. Construction companies had to understand that recycling is beneficial for the entire industry, and most for the environment and for all of us, the people. Construction companies should modernize their construction equipment in order to save the Earth too.
Environmental Benefits
In order to make their next construction project greener, the construction companies and the construction management have to understand the environmental benefits form recycling construction materials. In fact, there are two main environmental benefits from them; it saves energy and it reduces landfill waste.
First, recycling will save a large amount of energy. It is considered that recycling all the concrete and asphalt waste in the USA during a period of one year would save the energy equivalent to 1 billion gallons of gasoline. Recycling materials also decreases the consumption of new natural resources needed to produce new materials.
Second, recycling wasted construction materials will help with landfill waste reduction. Since the landfills started to fall up, the construction industry has to develop some alternative ways to manage the waste of landfills. One way is to reuse the old materials in the same form (when possible) or the other way, to turn them into new materials that are environment harmless.
Economic Benefits
Recycling construction materials also have some economic benefits such as cost savings and green certifications.
Recycling old construction materials will definitely reduce the costs of disposal and transportation. There are construction materials companies that even charge less to their clients’ buying recycle materials. Another aspect of cost savings is the reduction of demand for new resources, which cuts transportation costs. Some indirect impact of cost savings is the possibility of creating more construction jobs, or bigger salaries for the existing construction workers.
Recycling construction companies also tend to get recognition for their environmental conservation. The most important one comes in form of a LEED certification, as one of the most popular green building rating systems.
Recyclable Construction Materials
Not all construction materials can be recycled. But, there are so many of them that can be recycled and reused once again. In this article, we are going to share with you some of the building supplies that can be recycled and reused. Here is the list:
- Asphalt
- Appliances and fixtures
- Concrete
- Glass
- Gypsum
- Metals
- Masonry
- Plastics
- Trees
- Windows, doors, and roofing
Some helping tips you need to know about recycling construction materials
1. Planning the process
When starting your own green project, which includes recycling construction materials, first plan the recycling project carefully. You can consult with some environmental agencies to help you implement their best practices in your project. You should first read all the local regulars related with recycled construction materials and follow them in order to avoid possible punishments later.
2. Recycling Regulations
As mentioned above, the first thing to do before starting any project is reading well all the local recycling regulations. You need to collect all the needed information from the Municipal solid waste department. Once you collect all the needed guidelines, you need to follow them literally.
3. Using Standard Dimensions
When starting the design of your new building project, try to use the standard dimensions of common materials. This way you will reduce the cutting of the materials, which will lead to less waste during construction. Another benefit of using standard dimensions is saving time and labor too.
source
4. Local Recycling Centers
Before starting the new building project consider all the factors involved. One of them is the location of local recycling centers. They can help you dispose of construction waste, but what is they are located on a large distance from your project location. Consider transport costs too. You could include other alternatives if the center is located far from your building. One of the alternatives is making large material purchases, which will reduce transport costs, and you will be free to use your building supplies a long time before the next purchase (and the next costs).
5. Deconstruction
Deconstruction is another way to reduce the waste of construction materials. It means separating the construction materials and reusing them for social housing projects. This kind of activity can lead to tax advantages. You can also sell the recycled construction materials directly using the money for other building supplies purchase later.
