On-site Waste Reduction & Recycling
The amount of waste generated from construction and demolition processes is enormous. In a
recent EPA study, C&D waste totaled more than 135 million tons in the United States in the
year 1998. This is including all construction projects; commercial, residential, and industrial.
On many construction projects, recyclable materials such as wood, concrete and masonry, metals,
and drywall make up as much as 75 percent of the total waste stream. This fact presents an
opportunity for significant waste diversion. As landfills reach capacity around the nation,
new ones are becoming difficult to site. By managing waste at the construction site, valuable
resources and landfill space is preserved. Construction site items that can be recycled include
but are not limited to: concrete, wood, drywall, metal, roofing, brick, cardboard, and other
miscellaneous items.
The amount of job-site waste resulting from construction of the average U.S. home is 4.0 lbs.
per sq. foot of conditioned space, totaling about 8,000 lbs. and taking up 50 cubic yards of
landfill space. In accordance with LEED for Homes mandatory procedures, the 1327 Magnolia project
team is targeting less than 2.5 lbs. of waste per building square foot. With the house being
about 3,000 sq. ft, that is a target of less than 7,500 lbs. of waste.