Add to that bricks and stone, appliances, windows and more from demolitions and renovations and it’s easy to see that the construction industry contributes to the landfill in a big way.

“Anywhere from 65 to 75 per cent of construction waste is recyclable, and maybe five per cent is being recycled,” says Michael Stevens, vice-president of operations for Smart Site Job Site Services and Management.

Michael and his brother Rob Stevens, president of Smart Site, are working to redirect this waste stream into recycling and reuse. They say changes to tipping fees at the landfill, as well as the always-changing world of recycling, should give a boost to the idea of watching waste more carefully on the construction site.

The main obstacle keeping builders and contractors from watching their waste, say the brothers, is the handling of waste on-site. “Double handling kills,” says Rob. “We get a lot of sites where either the trades aren’t buying into what you’re doing or you’re not thinking through the process. When you’ve got a lot of double handling you start to get mixing of the products, and it’s all downhill from there.”

If a builder doesn’t properly plan for recycling in advance, then workers end up tossing materials in the wrong bins or bins are not properly provided—and once materials are mixed (metal in with wood in with—worst of all—glass, and so on) it’s all over. Recycling a variety of materials can also mean trucks in and out of the site, which translates into higher costs, damage to the site and a larger carbon footprint.

Smart Site addresses these issues by sending only one truck in to pick up all the materials, and making it fast and easy for workers to sort the materials in the first place.

“For us it’s all about making sure that the path is easy and clear, because the trades are like water, they like the path of least resistance,” says Rob. “If you can make it easy, you get a much better buy-in.”

Does it cost more to be eco-friendly in the building industry? A little, but this cost will soon be offset somewhat by higher tipping fees at the dump. On one project the company has worked on, Heritage Pointe (at the south end of Calgary), an old ranch was dismantled before the community went up. Smart Site recycled 88 per cent of the ranch buildings, sending only 85 tonnes of waste to the landfill, compared to the 600 tonnes that were kept out. All of this cost the developer approximately ten to 15 per cent more than it would have to just send it all to the landfill. But tipping fees are rising, meaning that as systems become available to make recycling on-site less of a headache for builders, the pros should soon even out with the cons. The Stevens predict it won’t be long before recycling is a more attractive option than dumping waste.

“It needs to become a capitalist venture—we need to get out of ‘doing the right thing for no profit,’ ” says Rob. “I hate to say it, but it’s true.”

They point out that costs are passed down to the homeowner, but that it is the homeowner’s responsibility to request responsible waste management. If the consumer insists, they say, the builder will oblige.

The idea of environmentally-responsible waste management is also dependent on whether or not there are markets for materials after they are recycled.

Currently, there is a use for:

• Asphalt shingles (mainly pre-consumer waste), which can be ground and added to asphalt mixes or used in paving.
• Concrete and asphalt, which can be reground into an aggregate and used for new paving.
• Clean drywall (usually scraps, not post-consumer drywall), which can be made into new drywall or used as a soil amendment or animal bedding.
• Assorted metals, which according to Alberta Environment, “close to 75 per cent of scrap steel and 45 per cent of aluminum, brass and copper are recovered for recycling.”
• Wood, much of which can be salvaged and re-milled or processed into chips.
• Materials from renovations and demolitions such as glass, metal, insulation, carpet, tiles and fixtures can be salvaged and reused. Recycling options exist for glass as well as carpet.

Another crucial element of planning is finding a home for salvaged materials fit to reuse. This could include appliances, building materials, fixtures such as lights, plumbing and electrical, and in the case of commercial projects, a range of equipment and fixtures for manufacturing, industrial, retail and other commercial settings. This is part of Smart Site’s services, and it is also what Sarah Begg, program manager with the Clean Calgary Association, specializes in.

“A big part with construction recycling is having an end market,” she says. “ You have to get quite creative with what you’re going to use this for and who would be the right people to use it.”

Some examples of opportunities for reuse include the refinishing of barnboard into flooring, as well as salvaged cupboards, windows and doors, says Begg. Michael Stevens is renovating his home using salvaged materials, including like-new low-flow toilets and other efficient fixtures. As his brother Rob points out, inefficient items are destroyed as they are removed, for instance, by smashing regular-flow toilets and inefficient appliances. He explains that in the case of inefficient items it is better to send them to the landfill than keep them in use.  CL