The Gypsum Association and its member companies are committed to sustainability, and now, our industry is embracing another opportunity to contribute to a greener world. Construction and demolition (C&D) recycling holds promise for advanced sustainability by contributing to a circular economy. For many advocates of green building, the concept of C&D waste endlessly cycling back and through the supply chain is the new ideal. Almost everyone would rather see something used again rather than “going to waste,” as we say. Moreover, whether you are a major developer, or just a guy, like me, building a house on a property that long served as an unofficial final resting place for old appliances and tires, the price of getting rid of a lot of—ahem—“debris” at the local landfill can seem pretty astounding, if you can find a landfill that will take it at all.
In fact, C&D debris comprises a major waste stream in our country. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates these materials amount to over 500 million tons annually across all types of construction including new construction, infrastructure and demolition. Many efforts are underway to improve this situation, including the voluntary C&D waste recycling plans that LEED incentivizes and the obligatory C&D waste plans that some localities now require as a part of the permitting process. Yet, even after all the planning and heavy lifting—no pun intended—of separating waste streams and designating end-point recipients, the challenge of ensuring that waste is recycled and reused is only beginning to be met.