How can construction and demolition materials be reduced at the site?
You can save money by reducing the amount of waste you create. Source reduction:
- Decreases disposal costs
- Lowers labor costs because less material must be handled and cut
- Reduces expenditures for materials because less is wasted.
Consider the following ways to reduce waste:
- Design - Ask your architect to use materials of standard sizes; for example, build wall sections that use 4 x 8 sections of gypsum wallboard efficiently.
- Plan - Plan ahead so that fewer trips are made to local suppliers. If materials are left over, store them for the next project.
- Reduce packaging - Ask suppliers to remove packaging before shipment and wrap materials in blankets or padding. If the supplier cannot do this, then take the packaging materials back to the supplier.
- Include waste disposal costs in bids - Require subcontractors to include the cost of removing their materials from the site to encourage them to produce less waste.
