Information on Recycling for Tradesman

Here in the US midwest, I recycle scrap to a facility that grinds it up and applies it to farm fields as a soil amendment. Broken block is used as clean fill, as opposed to landfill. Both of these strategies are recognized as jobsite waste reduction by the U S Green Building Council.



David Kadlec, LEED AP
Partner
CasaVerde LLC
United States

Have a look at the REBRI website. While it applies to New Zealand's building code it does have good background information about products and potential reduce, reuse and recycle options.

www.rebri.org.nz

Donna Peterson
Waste Minimisation Officer
Invercargill City Council
NewZealand
www.wastenet.org.nz

G'day Rebecca,

State government and local councils in Melbourne have done a lot of work on minimising construction waste. There are strategies that can be employed before the waste-to-landfill vs recycling comes into play eg design modules based on sheet sizes to minimise offcuts.I don't know what the situation is in Darwin but once you do get to this final decision stage it will depend largely on the availability of appropriate local recyclers.
If you email me directly at [email protected] I can provide you with more information.

cheers

malcolm wilkie
sustain + able consulting
Australia

Hi Donna,

Thanks for the link and especially for all your great work in New Zealand. You are a bit of a mecca for green folk in the US. I look forward to reading all the documents on the site.
For clarification, I was referring to drywall scrap and I see the uses you put it to. All metal is recycled and cardboard.
I am working on a building that is a reuse project that is the first Affordable, LEED and is a candidate to The National Register of Historic Places. Often seen as in conflict. Check it out at www.casaverdellc.com and click on the Gramse project

David Kadlec, LEED AP
Partner
CasaVerde LLC
United States

Hi Rebecca
I meet a small construction company at a safety forum that recently renovated a local university and everything they removed they were able to recycle.

I've spoken to the owner and she'd happy to talk with you.

If you contact me on [email protected] I will give you her details

Regards
Megan

Megan Saxby
WorkCover NSW
Australia
www.workcover.nsw.gov.au

At a home improvement show about 15 months ago I met someone who works in construction materials recycling in the US Midwest. He might have some useful ideas, and seemed very open to sharing information. His name was Kevin Peterson, with Construction Debris Management in Prescott, Wisconsin (www.EcoSnakes.com is the website listed on his card, but that's erosion control products). If you're interested, I can see about getting more information from him (Prescott is about 15 miles from where I work).


darien simon
Community, Natural Resources, and Economic Development Educator
University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension

We are in California, in the U.S., so some of this info may not apply to you, however, other info may be helpful.

http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/condemo/

http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/greenBuilding/

Frank Severson
United States

I recently had a large cupboard/bookshelf made by a furniture maker who uses recycled timber. I found out that it was made from some floorboards and window frames of an old house. It looks fabulous, and the guy is very busy, suggesting a lot of people are interested in purchasing furniture made with recycled timber. I'll include his website as it has photos - you can see how beautiful furniture made with recycled timber looks: http://www.roughedgeart.websyte.com.au/site.cfm?/roughedgeart/

Kathy Brunning
Australia

re; Kathy's comment:

I own a beautiful custom-made cabinet from recycled fence palings. Sorry to say the maker has moved and I can't track him down, but I think it's worth pointing out that there is a lot of good quality, durable hardwood going for scrap in Australia at least. My fence-paling cabinet is solid eucalyptus wood - it does have nail-holes! but it's beautiful wood.

I also have a garden deck made from hardwood decking that a friend of a friend was throwing out. It was originally destined for landfill but despite lying in a heap on the ground for months it is still in extremely good condition, and looks great after being sanded and oiled.

Lorna Jarrett

Lorna Jarrett
university of wollongong
Australia

Hello Rebecca

Wow! There's a bunch of really useful responses to your question.

I'm in Darwin as well :)

There is a new community garden starting up on Lakeside Drive, Alawa. One of our ethics is to use recycled materials where ever possible. http://ext.cdu.edu.au/newsroom/a/2009/Pages/090403-Community-garden.aspx

Through the community garden and the new Top End Transition organisation there is a ready network of people who would be interested in using these materials - they may also have ideas.
http://www.topendtransition.groupsite.com/

For fun someone sent me this video on cradle-to-cradle design. It outlines ways of thinking about Zero Waste business. Waste = Food
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3058533428492266222&hl=en

I hope you find some really great options in the comments above and I'd be really keen to hear how you go.

Karen Cieri
Australia