| Recycling demolition materials improving | Recycling demolition materials improving | <div class="ExternalClass787CBEC3C99A427983AE0CC3A6625A51"><p>In an effort to reach the region’s ambitious waste diversion goals, Metro Vancouver has been targeting recycling in the construction and demolition (C&D) sector. Initiatives such as the Clean Wood Disposal Ban are proving effective by contributing to a reduction in the amount of divertible materials in the C&D waste stream. </p><p>In 2015, Metro Vancouver analyzed the composition of C&D material arriving at Vancouver Landfill and Ecowaste Landfill, a private landfill in Richmond. More than half of the loads were from residential demolition projects, and included an estimated 200,000 tonnes of wood, which is nearly 60% of all C&D waste by weight. Partly due to the awareness generated by the launch of the Clean Wood Disposal Ban in 2015, the amount of clean lumber in the waste stream dropped from 71,000 tonnes in 2011 to 55,000 tonnes in 2015. The remaining wood material is made of difficult-to-recycle composite material or painted/treated lumber. Metro Vancouver is working with the University of British Columbia on research projects to support new options for recycling wood from C&D sources. </p><p>Other common materials in C&D waste are asphalt, miscellaneous building materials, rubble, and plastic as shown in the pie chart below. The waste composition study showed that concrete and rubble are making up less and less of the waste stream, confirming that they continue to be readily recyclable. Concrete, asphalt, and rubble have contributed to the overall increase in total C&D waste recycled from 1.04 million tonnes in 2011 to 1.19 million tonnes in 2014.</p><p>Overall, the highest recycling potential exists in residential demolition projects, especially single family homes. Some municipalities currently have regulatory measures to encourage recycling though municipal demolition permitting processes, which play an important role in maximizing C&D recycling in single family home projects. Currently, six municipalities have adopted regulatory measures that establish recycling requirements for demolition material based on a sample municipal bylaw developed by Metro Vancouver and others are considering adopting a regulatory program. </p><p>The full report on the 2015 C&D waste composition study can be found
<a href="/services/solid-waste/SolidWastePublications/2015DLCWasteCompositionMonitoring.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>
<img alt="Break-down of construction & demolition waste load components" src="/metroupdate/PublishingImages/CDpiechart.png" />
<br><em>Break-down of construction and demolition waste load components as found in the 2015 study.</em>
</p></div> | http://www.metrovancouver.org/metroupdate/PublishingImages/Issue24-demolitionwaste.jpg | 2016-09-27T07:00:00Z | GP0|#e2b01bb7-c847-4927-b23d-b35b5af84a41;L0|#0e2b01bb7-c847-4927-b23d-b35b5af84a41|Issue 24;GTSet|#d14ffe11-45dc-48fb-8684-ff109cf15a74 | <div class="ExternalClass95BDE519B11D476085E46ECA5275B9FD"><p>Metro Vancouver has an initiative to keep clean, recyclable wood out of the garbage, and it's working. Other common demolition wastes include asphalt, building materials, rubble, and plastic. <br><br></p></div> | 0 | |
