Construction Waste: What to Do With Demolition Waste

Wondering what to do with the debris piling up from your home remodeling project? There are more recycling opportunities than you might imagine.

Recylcing in the hardhat zone

The U.S. EPA estimates more than 136 million tons of construction and demolition waste are generated annually.

• Ask suppliers to deliver products with less or no packaging.
• Return materials you don’t use to the supplier.
• Try to use materials from your demolition (fixtures, fittings, wood, carpet) in the remodel.
• Commit to recycling whatever materials will create the most waste.
• Set up clearly marked bins on the job site for each recyclable material and instruct your contractor and subcontractors to use them.

Source: Recycle Works, San Mateo County, California