Waste Management Construction

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ACWVOWLELIGEMENT
The Canadian Construction Association gratefilly acknowledges the assistance provided by the IRAPprogram of the National Research Council in the production of this report.

IMPORTANT

The information contained in this document is not intended to be exhaustive and therefore should not be relied on exclusively.

FOREWORD

The Canadian Construction Association supports the concept of sustainable development while recognizing the need to balance environmental and economic considerations in the decision-making process. CCA encourages its members to make all efforts to reduce construction waste and to seek business opportunities aimed at preserving the environment. Waste management is becoming a sophisticated area of work that is evolving rapidly. Contractors across the country will have to adopt new practices in response to a changing business climate. The Canadian Construction Association created this booklet to assist its members, and the industry at large, to effectively deal with waste management. We hope users will find it helpful.

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Gordon Parchewsky as Chairman Environment Committee CCA

PREFACE
The National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, reporting to the Prime Minister, has a special catalytic role to play in Canadian society in promoting Sustainable Development - meaning harmony over the long term between our environment and our economy. Among the critical areas selected by the National Round Table for early attention is the mounting problem of solid waste in Canada. Clearly there is an enormous need to reduce waste and a great opportunity to do so in ways that are both environmentally and economically responsible. For this reason the National Round Table is happy to support the publication of A Report on Waste Management For The Construction Industrv. This is an excellent handbook for all involved in tackling this most pressing problem. This book is intended to assist those in the construction industry in their efforts to reduce waste. I encourage its use and I am sure you will find it a useful guide. TflA
Reg Basken Chair Waste Reduction

Committee

TABLE

OF

CONTENTS

PAGE

Introduction

1

I -

Rules and Regulations

4

II - Waste Stream Analysis

13

III - Waste Materials Recycling Potential

21

IV - Waste Management

32

V -

Code of Practice

36

VI - Directory

37

References

44

INTRODUCTION
The environment has become a major issue for many industries in Canada. Stringent regulations and public concerns are changing the ways in which industries are operating. Within the broad scope of the environment, the Canadian construction industry will need to pay special attention to the issue of waste management. The industry is a large contributor of waste material which has traditionally been dumped in landfill sites. Today’s reality, however, is that landfills are rapidly approaching capacity and many are subject to closure because they no longer meet strict environmental standards. The effect of this is that the total volume of landfill space is declining and that the cost of disposing waste is increasing substantially. It can be argued that some regions do not suffer from the lack of waste disposal facilities, but when these facilities are viewed as a resource it becomes apparent that these are finite resources regardless of location. Furthermore, “replacing current landfills will be difficult due to land use conflicts in highly populated areas and public concerns regarding environmental impact. Indeed, several municipalities have already failed to find politically acceptable replacement landfill locations in their jurisdictions”. (‘I

2 The construction industry, like many others, will need to adopt changes when dealing with waste management. The ideal solution would be to adopt the Rs of construction waste management, namely: reduce, reuse, recycle, recover, residual management. The purpose of this report is to provide the construction industry with information about waste management as it relates to regulations and the variety of emerging methods of dealing with it. Part I of this report examines the regulations and government actions in the area of waste management. Part II of the report examines the types of waste products being produced on construction/demolition sites. This chapter also deals with tipping fees and bans at landfill sites. Part III deals with the recycling potential of waste materials. Part IV provides information on waste management practices. It offers suggestions as to how contractors should undertake action to minimize waste in their operations.

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V consists of a code of practice that was developed to encourage the industry to incorporate waste management practices into their work. Part Part VI provides a list of government agencies and

private organizations that can provide valuable information regarding waste reduction programs in Canada.

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I - RULES MD

REGULATIONS

In October 1989, the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment adopted as its goal the reduction of wastes in Canada by 50 percent by the year 2000. This was complemented by a National Packaging Protocol announced in April 1990 to reduce the waste from packaging by 50 percent by the year 2000. Packaging accounts for 30 percent of the waste stream and constitutes the largest single component in landfills. Committed to meeting the 50 percent reduction target, the federal government, in cooperation with provincial and territorial governments, the private sector and community groups, took a lead role at promoting the Rs of waste management. The federal government has also taken upon itself the duty of undertaking the following steps:
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“by 1993, establish standards and regulations to reduce waste from packaging materials. They will be employed in the event that voluntary government and industry actions do not achieve the 1992 waste reduction target of 20 percent as set out in the National Packaging Protocol; by 1994, for other components of the waste stream, develop national standards, codes, policies and regulations for the reduction, reuse and recycling of wastes;

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support technological innovations aimed at waste reduction, recycling and reuse; support community action through an expansion of the Environmental Partners Fund Program; provide information to individuals and business through new programs such as the Canadian Environmental Citizenship Program and ongoing programs such as the Environmental Choice Program; commit the federal government to reduce waste from its own operations by 50 percent by the year 2000; expand the National Waste Exchange Program with the objective of making it self-sufficient by the year 2000. The purpose of the program is to improve market opportunities for the reuse and recycling of industrial and large volume wastes; establish an Office of Waste Management to co-ordinate federal programs under the National Waste Reduction Plan with participation from the provinces, territories, business, non-government groups and women’s organizations. This office will also provide national coordination and issue regular progress reports.” @)

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6 The government will take further action to reduce the generation of hazardous wastes and ensure the safe transportation and disposal of hazardous wastes in Canada. These measures will include:
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“by 1992, developing a computerized tracking system to monitor the movement of hazardous wastes in and out of Canada, which will allow Canadian industry to participate more easily in international market opportunities to recycle these products; by 1996, destroying all PCBs under federal jurisdiction and establishing mobile incinerators in Atlantic Canada, Quebec and Ontario; by 1996, in co-operation with the provinces, completing regulations and guidelines for the safe management of hazardous waste streams, including reduction, reuse, recovery, recycling, transportation, storage and disposal; supporting technology aimed at reducing, recycling and reusing hazardous wastes, or at their safe destruction”. (3)

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7 PROVINCIAL INlTIA~S Some provinces have also taken special steps to accelerate waste reduction in their’own jurisdictions. The following consists of examples of some initiatives undertaken by the provinces:
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develop markets for recyclables; make information available on the costs of establishing and operating a recycling business and on market information; encourage industry, municipal governments, institutions and others to implement policies to recycle waste materials, to promote energy conservation and to purchase products made from recycled materials; undertake studies to determine the social and economic feasibility of household and other solid waste separation schemes, including a study of the type and amount of recyclable materials in solid wastes from all sources; promote the development of provincial public education and awareness campaign to address the benefits of recycling; develop programs to gather and disseminate recycling information to the public, recyclers, municipalities, institutions and industry;

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establish cost-sharing arrangements with municipalities, institutions, industry and others to encourage recycling through the implementation of waste separation programs and facilities; provide financial assistance or incentives respecting recycling initiatives; to carry out, fund or promote research respecting recycling set standards for recyclable materials; provide technical assistance to carry out recycling programs. (4)

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The most striking example of provincial action in the area of waste management consists of the Ontario regulatory measures that were adopted to achieve reduction targets. Although Ontario has undertaken many of the above-noted initiatives, it decided to regulate special measures to accelerate further waste reduction in its territory. These, without a doubt, represent the most comprehensive measures conceived to-date and are indicative of what may lie ahead in waste management regulations. The Ontario Initiative In April 1992, the Ontario Environmental Protection Act was amended for the purpose of enabling implementation of regulatory measures to achieve waste reduction targets. These amendments gave the Minister of the Environment specific powers to

9 regulate waste generators activities. These are:
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with respect to four

“the preparation of waste audits and implementation of waste reduction workplans; the establishment and operation of a source separation system; the establishment and operation of a composting system; the creation of standards for a municipal waste management cost accounting system”. (‘)

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Under these new regulations, construction and demolition businesses will be responsible for completing waste audits and waste reduction workplans and establishing source separation programs. These regulations will apply for projects where 50 persons or more are employed. The regulations call for all Industrial, Commerical & Institutional (ICI) waste generators which meet minimum criteria to prepare and implement waste audits and waste reduction workplans, including:
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“examine and evaluate waste management practices, from generation to final disposal, including opportunities for at source reduction, waste separation, recycling efforts and marketing of recovered materials;

10 maintain waste audit records and a completed form on site for inspection by an official of the Ministry of the Environment or of the local municipality; conduct an annual review of previous waste audits and prepare a report which will be kept on file for inspection by an official of the Ministry of the Environment or of the local municipality; prepare a workplan based on the most recent waste audit. The workplan and a completed form shall be kept on file for inspection by an official of the Ministry of the Environment or the local municipality; continuously display the workplan in the workplace so that all employees may read it; and, implement their current workplan”. w In conducting a waste audit, persons owning or responsible for establishments within a designated class of ICI waste generator will examine and evaluate the following:
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“types and quantities of waste generated directly through operating procedures;

e recycled content of product, packaging and materials purchased or used in production;
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purchasing policies and specifications; and administration and maintenance procedures”. (7)

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An ICI waste reduction workplan will examine and evaluate opportunities available to:
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“reduce the generation of waste through product design, packaging, purchasing policies or operating practices; implement procedures and strategies for the utilization of recycled materials and the reuse or recycling of wastes generated. An ICI waste generator may implement a waste reduction program independently or in cooperation with programs implemented by other ICI waste generators; and improve the appropriateness of products and packaging for reuse, recycling or disposal”. ~3)

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All ICI waste generators which meet minimum criteria will be required to design, implement and maintain a source separation program which shall include:
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“the provision of collection, handling and storage facilities for source-separated materials; the necessary preparation of the materials to avoid contamination and maintain a high quality of source-separate materials; measures necessary to train employees and to communicate the contents of the program to them; reasonable efforts to direct source-separated materials to beneficial uses”. (‘I

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Materials to be source separated have been identified as:
Construction business: old corrugated cardboard, wood, drywall, ferrous, concrete, brick Demolition business:

ferrous, concrete, brick, wood.

The regulations will make it compulsory for described ICI waste generators to start completing waste audits and workplans in the Winter of 1993. Compliance dates for source separation programs by major ICI waste generators will vary by geographic regions and have not yet been finalized.

WASTE REDUCTION IS BECOMING A SERIOUS ISSUE IN CANADA. THE CANADIAN COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE ENVIRONMENT WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARD THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SPECIFIC TARGETS TO MEET NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL INDUSTRIES WILL HAVE TO OBJECTIVES. ADOPT PROACTIVE MEASURES IN ORDER TO RESPOND, IN A COMPETITIVE MANNER, TO NEW ENVIRONMENTAL TRENDS.

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II - WMTE

ST~An;TALYSIS

Environment Canada estimates that 9 million tons of construction and demolition wastes are generated annually. This figure accounts for l/3 of the country’s solid waste stream. For the most part, construction wastes are largely inert. The major problem is that the waste is bulky, hard to compress and is taking up more and more room in overstressed and limited municipal landfills. The following table lists most of the materials that comprise construction waste. (lo)

Waste Type
Rubble Asphalt Tar-based materials Ferrous metals Non-ferrous metals Harvested wood Untreated wood Treated wood Plaster Glass Plastic White goods Contaminants

Contents
Dirt, bricks, cinder blocks, concrete Roads, bridges, parking lots Shingles, tar paper Pipes, roofing, flashing, steel Aluminum, copper, brass, stainless steel Stumps, tops, limbs Framing, scraps Plywood, pressure-treated, creosotetreated, laminates Sheetrock, gypsum, drywall Windows, doors Vinyl siding, doors, windows Appliances Lead-based paint, asbestos, fibreglass, fuel tanks

14 There is little information available on the type and volume of waste that is generated in the construction industry. There is, however, a study that. was performed by Proctor & Redfem Limited for the Metro Toronto Public Works Department that provides valuable information. The study involved taking samples of wastes generated from various commercial and residential structures at different points in their building, demolition or renovation. The table below lists where the samples came from and how many were taken. (11)

Project

No. of Samples

Residential low-rise construction Commercial low-rise construction Residential & Commercial high-rise construction Demolition Renovation

The results showed that wood and rubble were the two main components of construction/demolition

15 wastes. The following pie charts summarize the information that was gathered during the project.

Construction

Waste
(By Percentage)

Composition

Other (1.8%)

Paper

(4.3%)

Rubble

(2

Wood (30.6%) Glass (3.5%)

Metal (8.1

Textile

Building

Materials

(18.7%)

15A

Demolition
Other

Waste
(By (0.k)

Composition
(0.7%)

Percentage)

Plastic

.7X)

operb oord Wood (51.8%)

(0.3X)

ilding

Mote :riols

(7.99.)

Metol

(5.2%)

16 In most jurisdictions, construction and demc$ition materials have been defined in two categories: acceptable and non-acceptable. In general, the kinds of waste that landfills accept are divided as follows:
Acceptable Non-Acceptable

brick cardboard clean earth concrete electrical wiring ferrous materials furniture & household appliances glass gYPsum nails road materials roofing materials wood

asbestos food waste hog fuel and sawdust liquid or semi-solid wastes putrescence wastes special wastes: toxic, explosive, corrosive treated wood

However, a number of municipalities (primarily in Ontario) have passed regulations that restrict construction materials to be disposed of at landfill sites. The purpose is to eliminate these products from the waste stream and to enforce the adoption of methods to reuse or recycle them. Ontario and British Columbia are the only provinces where some construction materials are banned from landfill sites. The table below lists some municipalities that have taken action in this particular area.

17 BANS
Cardboard Tires White Wood Leaves Metal Cod.
g-ds Demd. Drywall

Ajax Kingston Ottawa North Simcoe Toronto Vancouver Victoria

X X X X X

xx X

x

x X

x X

X

xx x x

xxx X

X X X X

TIPPING FEES Tipping fees are also increasing in all provinces and these will continue to increase as environmental trends evolve. The costs between regions vary dramatically for obvious reasons: population density, availability of waste disposal sites, environmental concerns. British Columbia Private landfill tipping fees range from $75 - $125 per 30m3 load depending on the landfills proximity to Vancouver. The three municipal landfills in the Greater Vancouver Regional District charge $69 per ton for wastes, resulting in tipping fees ranging from $165 $930 per 30m3 (excluding transportation fees). Many

18 areas in B.C. have a single landfill which handles all local waste. The costs are less than those in the Greater Vancouver Regional District. Alberta Landfills sites in this province have reported to charge !$I3per ton for inner city waste and $40 per ton for waste coming from the outside. Saskatchewan Landfill tipping fees are $4.10 per ton in Regina. Manitoba Landfill disposal costs in Winnipeg are $25 per ton. In communities outside major centres, landfill disposal is paid through taxes. Ontario Metropolitan Toronto landfill rate is $150 per ton. Ottawa: $51 per ton Kingston: $155 per ton Thunder Bay: $25 per ton

19 Quebec .

The disposal of waste material in this province ranges from $10 to $40 per ton. New Brunswick Where landfill disposal costs are applicable, they range from $30 to $50 per ton. Nova Scotia Only a few jurisdictions have tipping fees. The most significant is the Halifax Metropolitan Area where current tipping fee is $38 per ton. It is projected to rise to $95 per ton by 1995. Of the other municipalities that have tipping fees, virtually all charge significantly lower amounts. Prince Edward Island Where applicable, landfill disposal costs are $20 per ton. Newfoundland Landfill tipping fees are $8.50 per ton.

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Hazardous Materials

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In general, the cost of sending a drum of hazardous waste for disposal in a registered disposal facility can range from $200 to $500 per drum. Waste Management Acts (or similar acts) regulate waste disposal in our provinces. Under these Acts, permits are required for the disposal of any wastes. These permits define operating practices for landfill sites and these are monitored by provincial ministries of the Environment. Severe penalties can be given for violation of the Acts.

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III - WASTE MATERLALS RECYCLING POTENTW
The intent of this section is to discuss individually some of the major waste materials that exist in the construction industry and the technologies available to divert them from the waste stream. These materials are listed in the chart below with a mention of their recycling potential.
Waste Materialsand their Flecvcllnft Potentlal Waste Type RecyclingPotential

Asphaft road and roofing materials ~,MMAaaonry Gypsum/Wallboard Metal
Alurr$num $pgmce/White Goods

Resurfacing roads

Ctushed, used as granular base or remixedInto freshconcrete
Recycled into new drywall Either remelted or sold to scrap metal dealers

Copper Ferrous Pipes, Roofing Flashing, etc. Steel Soil Backfill, if contaminated, a number of technologies exist for cleaning on and off site

Cardboard Wood
Untreated

Treated

Dependin on local regulations, same as B untreated or Recycled into new glass, fiberglass Latex and solvent based paints can be recycled Shredded, re cled into new materials, insu ation 7

Other Glass
Paint Plastic

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ASPHALT Asphaltic wastes can come from a variety of sources. The largest source comes from the resurfacing and demolition of roads. A more commingled waste derives from the removal of asphaltic roofing membranes and shingles. Many regions have practiced some form of asphalt Some of the techniques of pavement recycling. applying recycled asphalt pavement include: This process takes place at a In Hot Recycling: plant. The reclaimed pavement is broken down to its original components and blended in varying proportions to produce new pavement.
Hot In-Place Recycling: This process takes place on the existing pavement surface. The asphalt is ground up, the cements are broken down to their original plates, mixed with rejuvenating agents and new material, and then laid down. All in-place recycling methods usually involve some form of train of equipment (eg: miller, nurse truck, paver and compactors) to perform the operation.

This process uses a lighter standard asphalt as a rejuvenating agent and operates at lower temperatures than hot-mix recycling. Also, the method works faster than hotmix recycling and stabilizes faster than both the hot and cold mix options.
Warm In-Place Recycling:

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Cold In-Place

Recycling:

This process also takes

place on the existing pavement structure. It also takes place at lower temperatures than the hot-mix process.
In this process, a specified depth of road surface and base are crushed, mixed (called recovered bituminous material, RBM) and then laid down with a virgin surface. me use of RBM as road bed or grading material depends to a certain degree on the thickness of the asphalt being removed. The advantage of reusing this material is that it packs well and no one has to pay to have the old asphalt removed. (12) Full Depth Reclamation=

An article in “Hot Mix Asphalt Technology ” reported that the State of Florida repaved 1,500 miles (2,414 km) of road in 1986 using old asphalt that was reconstituted on site. The savings were reportedly $18 million, 2,299,OOO tons of asphalt and 305 billion BTUs of energy. Asphal tic Roofing Materials A U.S. study has shown that acceptable paving mixtures containing up to 20% roofing wastes by volume can be produced. Roofing wastes include shingles and built-up roofing. Their approximate contents: 36% asphalt cement; 22% hard rock granules; 8% filler; small amounts of coarse aggregate, cellulose fibre, felt, asbestos felt and polyester films. The study also stated that the type

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and amount of binder is critical to the quality of the final product and is dependent on the type of waste to use in the mixture. CONCRETE/MASONRY Concrete waste on construction site is generated due to inadequate ordering or when a load does not meet specifications. Most of the concrete waste generated comes from the demolition of roads and structures. Concrete needs to be broken, crushed and removed from any reinforcing steel to be reused or recycled. Its primary use is as a granular base. One of the major difficulties involved in recycling old concrete is the removal of reinforcing steel in the waste. It requires more rugged equipment and it also wears the equipment faster. (13) Portland cement concrete can also be blended with virgin material. However, the product has a higher water absorption, reduced workability and lower strength than virgin Portland cement. This is probably due to fines in the form of mortar adhering to the aggregate particles. Of course, modifying the water/cement ratio improves the recycled concrete’s properties. (14) Along with concrete, old bricks are often mixed and crushed together. Some operations crush it separately for use as landscaping material.

25 GYPSUM/DRYWALL Gypsum constitutes one of the most bulky materials that need to be disposed of during construction/demolition. Its recycling process involves removing the paper and other contaminants from the wallboard, pulverizing the gypsum and then mixing it with virgin gypsum and additives to form new wallboard. The recycled gypsum product meets the industry’s structural standards. Several other technologies for recycling gypsum are being researched, but recycling into feedstock for new wallboard is a preferable option. New West Gypsum is currently operating drywall recycling facilities in Langley, B.C., and in Oakville, Ontario. Canadian Eagle Recyclers Inc. in Brampton, Ontario also recycle gypsum in its multi-recycling facility. METAL Ferrous metals have a long history of recycling that predates most recycling programs. Some companies recycle high quality heavy gauge metals into ingots that can be processed into final products. Steel is probably recycled in greater quantities than most other recyclable material, primarily in the form of scrap from discarded cars. In construction, the greater portion of waste metals come from the demolition of buildings. Steel can be easily separated from other materials via magnetic separation during processing. Most of the steel collected in Canada is sent to the U.S. or overseas for resmelting.

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White goods or appliances can also be saved from the waste stream. However, they pose disposal problems due to asbestos in water tanks, CFCs in air conditioning and l?CBs in old transformers. These elements which are considered hazardous carry extra costs to the metal recycler. SOIL Soil waste is generated through excavation in construction, demolition and repair projects. Repair projects include piping systems such as sewers and watermains along with underground tank leakages. For the most part, clean soil is acceptable at most waste disposal facilities. However, the problem that requires immediate attention is the management of contaminated soil. Federal and provincial legislations have narrowed the alternatives for handling this type of waste. Soil waste, once cleared of any contaminants by existing technologies, is primarily used for back filling. CARDBOARD Given the fact that it is not, per se, a construction material, old corrugated cardboard accounts for a substantial amount of waste in our industry. There are numerous waste haulers and paper recyclers that collect clean cardboard. It should be noted that recyclers can be quite selective about this waste.

27 Soggy cardboard or cardboard mixed with other wastes such as wood could likely be refused by recyclers. WOOD Wood waste represents a sizeable portion of the construction/demolition waste stream. Off-cuts, packaging and pallets comprise most of the wood waste on a construction site. Except for treated lumber, the uncontaminated wood has recycle/reuse potential. Demolition wood waste is accounted for by structural members, roofing, siding and flooring. The material is usually contaminated and/or commingled. Renovation wood waste would have a combination of demolition and construction types. Reusing dimensional lumber off-cuts on site for bridging or finer-joining is by no means new, but it ’ requires additional time and effort that few are willing to devote. “The simple effort of centralizing wood-cutting on an operation can reduce lumber use to up to 15%“. (15) Wood processing usually involves some form of chipping. There are a wide variety of mobile chippers that can handle anywhere from landclearing waste (stumps, trees, etc.) to doors and structural members. Some models have magnets that remove any loose pieces of metal before the wood is chipped.

28 Wood waste’s largest market is as a fuel. New York State could require approximately 100,000 tons per year for fuel wood chips. However, most provinces do not consider the large scale incineration of waste wood as recycling and restrict or prohibit this means of disposal. There exists other wood waste recycling options such as animal bedding, compost, mulch, wood floor, paper making, landscaping, bicycle/foot paths, fire logs, kindling, sweeping corn ounds, P chipboard, pyrolysis and pallet recycling. (16 There are a number of stationary wood and mixed waste processors throughout the country that operate on a larger scale. GLASS Large volumes of glass are recycled every year in a well established and stable market, particularly due to beverage container deposit programs and local recycling programs. Recycled glass can be processed to produce new glass, fibreglass, asphalt, brick and outdoor siding products. The number of brokers and secondary processors of glass is rapidly expanding in Canada. (‘71 PAINT Residual paints can be processed to make a new product which contains one-third recycled contents.

29 PLASTIC There are two major concerns associated with the recyclability of plastics from construction sites. The first lies with the difficulty of identifying the plastics bY the type of resin. In order to obtain maximum scrap value, plastics need to be separated by type. A coding system has been developed to assist the sorting, but the coding is voluntary and some manufacturers are slow in adopting it. Furthermore, some of the newest building materials being adopted by the construction industry include complex blends which may not be compatible with other resins for recycling. Identification and sorting may not be an easy task unless the material has been factory coded or builders have a Material Safety Data Sheet handy at all times. The second concern is the cleanliness of the material being delivered for recycling. Recyclers value plastics when they are clean and free of any contamination. They are becoming very particular about the amount of contamination acceptable in their processes. Keeping the plastics clean may not be an easy task on site. (18) HAZARDOUS/SPECIAL WASTE Hazardous substances can appear on a job site for many reasons, here are but a few: asbestos in certain types of insulation; mercury in electrical switches, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in air

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conditioning systems; polychlorinated biphenyls (PCPs) in electrical transformers, certain paints and adhesives, treated lumber, fluids from machinery, chemical cleaners, and any number of contaminants can turn up in excavated soil. Under the WHMIS legislation, hazardous materials also known as controlled products are: compressed gas flammable and combustible material oxidizing material poisonous and infectious material corrosive material dangerously reactive material For most circumstances, there are federal and/or provincial regulations for the handling of hazardous waste. The best example of hazardous wastes management is the initiative that the Government of Alberta undertook in 1979. Recognizing the need to address the hazardous residues and leftovers as an inevitable part of contemporary life, it set about creating the Alberta Special Waste Corporation and established a state-of-the-art treatment plant. The mandate of the corporation is to plan, develop, oversee and manage a system of hazardous waste treatment and disposal for provincial industries, businesses and households.

31 The treatment plant, which Became operational in 1987, has Become a model for other jurisdictions and governments around the world. Located on a 90 hectare site, the Alberta Special Waste Treatment Centre provides a full range of treatment options. Within its integrated operation, it includes such facilities as a laboratory, high temperature incinerators, physical and chemical treatment processes, a secure covered landfill, surface water collection ponds, and deep-well injection for treated liquid residues and rain water. The Centre is presently capable of treating approximately 18 500 tons of organic and inorganic wastes annually.

.THE RECYCLING INDUSTRY IS GROWING RAPIDLY IN CANADA. THE INFRASTRUCTURES ARE BEING DEVELOPED TO FACILITATE THE PROCESSING OF RECYCLABLE MATERIALS THAT ARE INCREASING IN VOLUME EVERY YEAR. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE CREATED EXHAUSTIVE LISTS OF COMPANIES THAT EVOLVE IN THIS PARTICULAR FIELD. CONTRACTORS MAY WISH TO INVESTIGATE THE AVAILABLE SERVICES IN THEIR AREA.

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IV - WBTE

IKtUVAGEMENT

There are a number of difficulties involved in effective construction/demolition waste reduction and diversion management:
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by nature the construction industry is segmented the industry, in its great majority, is comprised of small firms sites are limited in space there is a lack of established recycling/reuse markets.

Nevertheless, and as promoted by governments, the first step toward effective waste management is to incorporate the 5Rs in its operations. The table below provides information as to their applicability. (I’)
5Rs of Construction Waste Management

Method
Reduction

Activitv
order less material, use more durable material use building materials again in their original forms make new products from waste building materials reclaim recyclable components from waste stream by separating them dispose of what remains in a safe manner

Reuse

Recycle

Resource Recovery Residual Management

33 The 5Rs include the design process which plays a key role in determining construction waste. A number of considerations have been established to reduce potential waste at this level:
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selection of durable and recyclable materials selection of recycled or used materials selection of materials with low embodied energy and made with manufacturing processes with lower environmental impact

On-site material handling procedures need to be developed to lower the amounts of waste. The following steps are recommended:
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prefabricate common elements at central locations optimize construction scheduling encourage on-site reuse of cut-offs separate recyclable materials

The most important factor to achieve effective waste management is the cooperation of employees. An educational program ought to be set up so that all employees clearly understand the procedures. Furthermore, it is critical that an official company policy be established and enforced on all projects. In this way new construction practices would eventually become part of the normal work procedures.

34 have been recommendations The following developed to assist contractors in their day-to-day operations: Standardize methods of cost estimating waste management into your projects. Study the costs of waste disposal by type of construction. This will identify the projects that require improved waste management practices. Preplan your waste handling procedures before a project begins. Discuss waste management in terms of responsibilities, practices and initiatives at project meetings. Include all trades and subcontractors involved in the project. Review subcontract provisions to ensure clarity regarding responsibilities for waste management. Involve your work force in all your environmental efforts. Follow-up by making subcontractors and employees aware of what is expected to be wasted and how to reduce that waste. Provide clear and dry storage areas for your building materials. Use more prefabricated components. Minimize offcuts, work with your suppliers to obtain materials that are specific to your needs. Reuse offcuts whenever possible. Plan storage areas for different waste materials. Practice waste separation.

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Develop a database for handling construction waste. Investigate energy conservation through material selection in the building industry. Develop methods of performing waste audits for the different types of projects.

THE CANADIAN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IS KNOWN TO BE RESPONSIVE, EXPEDIENT, AND CREATIVE WHEN FACED WITH NEW SITUATIONS. THE PRESERVATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND PRESENTS ANOTHER FACT OF LIFE REQUIRING REGULATORY ELEMENTS THAT WE ALL RECOGNIZE ARE ESSENTIAL IN TODAY‘S WORLD. THE CANADIAN CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION IS CONFIDENT THAT THIS INDUSTRY WILL USE ITS ABILITY TO CREATE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL BENEFIT BOTH THE ENVIRONMENT AND OUR LARGE SECTOR OF THE ECONOMY.

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V - CODE OF PRACTICE
The Canadian Construction Association urges its members to adopt the following code of practice in their day-to-day operations for the purpose of safeguarding and improving our environment.
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adopt a waste management policy to be implemented on all projects; promote this policy to all employees and partners; select durable products in the purchase of construction materials; minimize the purchase of materials to meet the required amounts only; adopt techniques that will minimize construction wastes; reuse all possible waste products on site; implement source separation on site for recycling purposes; identify markets of recycled goods; identify potential users of waste materials; use landfill sites only where no other options are available.

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VI-DIRECTORY
GOVERNMENTS Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment

326 Broadway, Suite 400 Winnipeg, Manitoba R3c OS5 (204) 948-2125
Environment Canada

Office of Waste Management 351 St. Joseph Blvd., 12th Floor Hull, Quebec KlA OH3 (819) 953-1712
British Columbia Ministry of the Environment

Parliament Buildings Victoria, British Columbia V8V 1x5 (604) 387-9986
Alberta Department of the Environment

Environmental Protection Services Wastes and Chemicals Division, Recycling Branch Oxbridge Place, 9820 - 106 Street, 5th Floor Edmonton, ALberta T5K 2J6 (403) 427-5838

38

Saskatchewan Department of the Environment

& Public Safety

Air and Land Protection Branch Waste Management Section 3085 Albert Street Regina, Saskatchewan S4S OBl (306) 787-6533
Manitoba Manitoba Environment

Waste Reduction & Prevention Branch #960,330 St. Mary Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 325 (204) 945-8443 Ontario
Ministry of the Environment

Waste Reduction Office 40 St. Clair St. West, 7th Fl. Toronto, Ontario M4V lM2 (416) 3254440 de I’Environnement Direction de la r&up&ation et du recyclage 2360, chemin Saint-Foy, ler &age Saint-Foy (Qu&ec) GlV 4H2 (418) 643-4115
Quebec Ministhe

39

New Brunswick Department of the Environment

Operations Solid Waste & Recycling Section P.O. Box 6000 Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5Hl (506) 457-4848
Prince Edward Island Department of the Environment

Environmental Protection Branch 11 Kent Street, PO. Box 2000 Charlottetown, P.E.I. CIA 7N8 (902) 368-5024
Nova Scotia Department of Environment

Waste Management Branch P.O. Box 2107 Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 3B7 (902) 424-2387
Newfoundland Department of Environment & Lands

Environment Branch Confederation Blvd., Box 8700 St. John’s, Newfoundland AlB 4J6 (709) 729-5783

40

Northwest Territories Dept. of Renewable Resources

Pollution Control Division P.O. Box 1320 Yellowknife, NWT XlA 2L9 (403) 873-0221 Yukon
Council on the Economy & the Environment

PO. Box 2703 Whi tehorse, Yukon YlA 2C6 (403) 667-8138

41

RECYCLING ORGAZVIZATIONS
British Columbia Recycling Council of British Columbia

1525 West 8th Avenue, Suite 102 Vancouver, British Columbia V6J lT5 (604) 731-7222
Alberta Recycling Council of Alberta

714 First Street S.E., 3rd Floor Calgary, Alberta T2G 2G8 (403) 262-4809
Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council

101-219 22nd Street E. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7K OG4 (306) 931-3242
Manitoba Recycling Council of Manitoba

330 Portage Avenue, Suite 1812 Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C OC4 (204) 942-7781

42
Ontario Recycling

Council of Ontario

489 College Street, Room 504 Toronto, Ontario M6G IA5 (416) 960-1025
Quebec Collecte s6lective Quebec

Place du Part, C.P. 327 Montreal (Quebec) H2W 2N8 (514) 987-1491
New Brunswick Fundy Solid Waste Action Team

Hillyard Place, Building A 560 Main Street, #360 St. John, New Brunswick E2K lJ5 (506) 634-7928
Prince Edward Island Environmental Coalition of P.E.I.

126 Richmond Street, Room 1 Charlottetown, P.E.I. ClA lH9 (902) 566-4696
Nova Scotia The Clean Nova Scotia Foundation

P.O. Box 2528, Station M Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 3N5 (902) 424-5245

43

Newfoundland Action: Environment P.O. Box 2549

Waste Management

Group

St. John’s, Newfoundland AlB 6Kl (709) 753-5768
Northwest Territories Ecology North Ltd.

c/o Northern Frontier Visitors’ Centre 4807 49th Street, Suite 8 Y ellowknife, NWT XlA 3T5 (403) 873-6614 Yukon Whi tehorse, Yukon YlA 5M6 (403) 667-7269
Recycling Centre, Yukon Conservation P.O. Box 3968 Society

44

REFERENCES (1)
The SPARK Construction Waste SubCommittee of the Science Council of British Columbia; “Construction Waste Management Report”, January 1991, page 28 Government of Canada: Canada’s Green Plan: 1990; pages 58-59 Ibid; pages 59-60 General Assembly of Nova Scotia; An Act to Recover, Recvcle, Reuse & Reduce Waste Materials, As asserted to by the Lieutenant Governor; Halifax; June 15, 1989 Manitoba Environment; Waste Reduction & Prevention, 1991 Strategy Report; Winnipeg 1991 Ministere de l’Environnment; Politioue de gestion int&&e des dechets solides; Quebec 1989 (5) Ontario Ministry of the Environment; Regulatorv Measures to Achieve Ontario’s Waste Reduction Targets; October 1991; page 5 Ibid; pages 14-15

(2)

(3) (4)

6)

45 Ibid; page 15 Ibid; page 15 Ibid; page 18 Construction & Demolition Debris - The Invisible Waste Stream; Resource Recycling; December 1990, page 66 Proctor & Redfem Ltd., Senes Consultants Limited; Metropolitan Toronto Solid Waste Composition Studv; 1991; pages 4-19 Heine, M; Recvcling Romana Makes RAP’s Future Bright, Roads & Bridges, October 1990 The Proctor & Redfern Group; Markets for Materials from Solid Waste: ‘Discussion Paper No. 3.4; Metropolitan Toronto Department of Works, September 1989 Asphalt Recycling Innovations: Warm mix leads the wav; Better Roads; July 1989 (13) Emery, J. & Mackay, M.; Use of Wastes and Pavement Construction Materials; Transportation Association of Canada; 1991 Annual Conference Ibid

(7)
03)

(9) (10)

(11)

(12)

(14)

46

(15)

Leckie, J.; GTHBA Unveils Plan to Reuse Waste, Daily Commercial News, 1991 Hahn, D.; A 3Rs Strategv for the Construction Industrv, Waste Reduction Policy Unit; Ontario Ministry of the Environment; 1991; page 6 National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy: The National Waste Reduction Handbook; 1991; page 49 Swiatkowski, Yarek; The Red Lobster Project; National Research Council of Canada - Ledcor Industries Limited; 1991; page 5 The SPARK Construction Waste SubCommittee of the Science Council of British Columbia; “Construction Waste Management Report; January 1991; page 19 ,

(16)

(17)

(18)

09)

NOTES

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