As you may already know, structural demolition often leaves a lot of debris on the work site that must be removed to build the new structure or simply clean up the lot. And this is not a job you can do yourself. It requires equipment, knowledge, and protective gear you probably lack. Hence, you’ll need a specialized contractor to manage the waste from your demolition project.
Generally, your residential demolition services will handle the debris disposal, but always clarify this with them before signing the contract. Suppose you assume they will manage the waste disposal, but they don’t. In that case, you will be in a stressful situation searching for another contractor to remove the waste appropriately.
If you want to avoid these unpleasant scenarios, look for an experienced demolition company like TRM Construction. This company is also a general contractor, overseeing and handling all aspects of your project, from demolition to rebuilding.
How should you manage demolition debris in Florida?
A temporary dumpster rental is the most effective way to dispose of demolition waste. These services come in various sizes and pick-up frequencies, so you can choose the most appropriate one for your demolition needs.
As mentioned above, depending on the scope of services your experienced demolition company offers, you or your contractor will be responsible for choosing, hiring, and coordinating the dump truck services. However, moving the debris out of the site is just the first step in the waste management process. What happens after the truck leaves?
Waste recycling options
With a growing emphasis on sustainability, state agencies like the Florida Department of Environmental Protection stress the importance of recycling demolition debris and waste as the primary disposal option.
While this debris can be separated and processed on the job site, it involves the active participation of an experienced demolition company, which, due to the project timelines and budgets, often opt for disposing of the waste at a material recovery facility (MRF).
At these facilities, the waste stream is processed and separated into recyclable, repurposed materials and waste that should be disposed of in the landfill site. This process involves manual and mechanical labor, often crushing the waste to aid the mechanical separation process. Hence, if eco-friendly demolition is one of your concerns, confirm with your contractor whether they’ll send the waste to an MRF.
Which materials are commonly recycled from demolition debris?
Some of the most common building materials recycled and repurposed in recovery facilities are:
- Crushed concrete and bricks are often used in road and drainage construction.
- Lumber and whole bricks can be reused in new projects.
- Wood chips can be re-manufactured into engineered wood or used as bulking agents in biosolids, compost, and animal bedding.
- Clean concrete, blocks, and masonry are used as borrow pit fill.
- Corrugated cardboard containers.
- Non-ferrous metals like steel or aluminum.
- Recovered screened materials (RPM) for uses approved by the Department of Environmental Protection.
An experienced demolition company often sends this debris to the MRFs for processing and recycling.
However, it’s worth mentioning that the success of demolition waste recycling depends significantly on the purity of the material—that is, how contaminated the materials are and how viable it is to recover them from contamination. Hence, some materials are still unable to be recycled.
Other practices to reuse demolition waste
Although other waste management practices aim to divert debris from landfills, they’re not always considered recycling. For example, a common practice in South Florida is using clean concrete as lake fill for borrow pits. Other times, the debris of structural demolition is crushed and used as landfill covers or road materials.
Landfill disposal
Any experienced demolition company‘s last option is to send the waste and debris to landfills,, since this is the least eco-friendly option. Hence, environmental authorities stress the importance of only sending hazardous or non-recyclable waste to landfills.
Likewise, disposing of hazardous debris from residential and commercial demolition projects is not as simple as dumping it in a truck and sending it off to the landfill. They must be treated and processed before disposal to avoid a more harmful environmental impact.
Some of these non-recyclable debris include any building material that is contaminated with toxic substances such as asbestos, lead paint, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), or stripping paint, as well as insulation materials, aerosol cans, contaminated soils, or non-inert materials.
Get the job done right from the quote to the cleanup with TRM Construction.
The benefits of working with an experienced demolition company that is also a construction firm go beyond the confidence that you’ll get an outstanding job at the handover. Choosing TRM for your demolition and construction needs means you get a reliable partner who will guarantee your project is finished on time, on budget, and without major inconveniences.
Are you planning on doing any residential or commercial demolition projects, but don’t want to lose sleep over managing several contractors? Contact us today, and let us help you out!
