Construction & Demolition Debris
A 1999 study showed that nearly 22 percent of the waste stream entering Wake County's landfill consisted of construction and demolition (C&D) debris. Many of these materials can be reused or recycled.
Construction & Demolition Debris
Common C&D debris include lumber, drywall, metals, masonry (brick, concrete, etc.), carpet, plastic, pipe, rocks, dirt, paper or cardboard. Of these, metals are the most commonly recycled material, while lumber makes up the majority of debris that is landfilled. Through careful planning, reuse and recycling of C&D materials can actually be more economical than disposal.
Wake County Construction & Demolition Surcharge
To encourage material separation and recycling Wake County Solid Waste Facilities do not accept C&D debris. Any loads that consist of more than 10% C&D debris are subject to
Wake County's Construction & Demolition Surcharge Ordinance.
Construction & Demolition Debris Recycling
Reuse and recycling of C&D debris is one component of a larger practice called sustainable or green building construction. The efficient use of resources is a fundamental tenet of green building construction. This means reducing, reusing and recycling most, if not all, materials that remain after a construction or renovation project. Green building construction practices can include salvaging dimensional lumber from the project, using aggregates reclaimed from crushed concrete, or grinding drywall scraps for use on site as a soil amendment.
At the end of a building’s life, demolition generates large amounts of materials that can be reused or recycled, principally wood, concrete and other types of masonry, and drywall. Rather than demolish an entire building, consider “deconstructing” all or part of the structure. Deconstruction is the orderly dismantling of building components for reuse or recycling. In contrast to demolition, where buildings are knocked down and materials are either landfilled or recycled, deconstruction involves carefully taking apart portions of buildings or removing their contents with the primary goal being reuse. It can be as simple as stripping out cabinetry, fixtures and windows, or as involved as manually taking apart the building frame.
Visit the Trash Takers database to locate local C&D reuse, recycling or disposal facilities by material type.
Additional Sustainable Building Resources