Do you know what to do with all that trash?

Construction and Demolition waste represents a large part of the solid waste stream, with estimates ranging from 11 – 50%, depending on the part of the country, economic activity, and how tonnage’s are being tracked.

Here are several examples that may help you visualize the amount of waste. The NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) Research Center indicated that a 2000 square foot house will generate approximately 60 cubic yards of debris, clean up crews have suggested they take away 4 dump truck loads – 2 of wood, 1 of drywall, and 1 of cardboard.

In 1996 the Franklin Associates estimated that 135.5 million tons of construction and demolition debris were generated with 8% coming from new construction. 44% coming from renovation, and 48% coming from demolition.

Why would a builder or developer be interested in reducing, recycling or re-using materials from construction and demolition?

Landfills – and the problems that they cause, no-one wants to live near a landfill, but it becomes more costly to build them and haul to them. Landfills produce methane gas – 1 million tons of waste in place typically generate 300 cubic feet per minute of landfill gas, not producing this gas will have the same environmental impact of removing 6,100 cars from the road for one year.

Construction and Demolition, in 1996, produced 135.5 million tons of debris- and this did not include bridges or land clearing debris.

Re-using materials on-site, such as mulch from land clearing can save landfill space, cut hauling cost and is very effective as erosion control.
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• Mulch protects plant roots from heat, cold or drought or to keep fruit clean.
• A thin layer of mulch on the soil surface (especially in sloping gardens) reduces the washing away of soil particles by rushing water. Also, mulches prevent raindrops from splashing on the soil surface.
• A mulch layer on the soil surface allows the soil to soak up more water.
• Mulch reduces the rate of water loss from the soil.
• A 3-inch layer of mulch on the soil surface dries much faster than the soil below it. Thus it prevents water from moving into the air.
• Mulches modify soil temperature in home gardens. Applied in late fall, winter mulch insulates plant roots, crowns and stems of winter crops from extremely low temperatures.
• Proper mulching in summer months keeps the soil cooler. Soil covered by dark organic mulch in early spring warms faster than bare soil, allowing for earlier planting.
• Mulches enrich the soil as they decay and provide a better environment for plant growth.
• Soils high in organic matter are easier to till and better suited to vegetable gardening. Adding organic material makes soils more crumbly, especially clay soils that pack and crust.
• Mulches help plants by gradually increasing soil fertility.
• Most mulches provide excellent weed control.
• A well-mulched garden can yield 50 percent more than an unmulched garden the same size.
• You will harvest more fruit because of less fruit rot.
• Garden mulching reduces maintenance.
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• Disease Control for Plants and Animals
• Erosion Control
• Turf Remediation
• Landscaping
• Reforestation
• Wetlands restoration
• Habitat revitalization
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We grind with a Peterson 4700 horizontal grinder. The Peterson 4700 is able to grind a variety of materials including trees, sheet rock, pallets, stumps, brush and leaves, producing several types of useable products:

• From green matter it can produce 80-90 tons an hour of two-inch material, which is used primarily to make a high quality compost.
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