Recover Your Resources 

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle 

Construction and Demolition Materials 

at Land Revitalization Projects 

What’s in Your Dumpster

?
ur D

Don’t waste your resources 

Sustainable reuse of brownfield properties includes efforts to reduce the environmental impact by reusing and 

recycling materials generated during building construction, demolition, or renovation.Typical construction 

There are numerous opportunities to recover and use C&D materials at 

brownfields and land revitalization sites, including: 

•	 Brownfields often have abandoned or unwanted buildings onsite in 

need of demolition. Materials recovered can be reused onsite, sold 

through local markets, or recycled offsite. 

•	 Brownfields are frequently located in urban areas near transportation 

hubs. Being close to transportation corridors allows a developer to 

reuse current infrastructure and provides easy access to potential 

markets for C&D materials. 

•	 Renovation or new construction on former brownfields provides 

owners/developers with an opportunity to buy recycled-content 

building products, return, sell or donate unused building materials, 

and send other materials for recycling. 

Several brownfields and land revitalization projects have achieved 

significant C&D recovery rates through recycling, salvage for reuse or 

resale, composting, and other methods. These C&D material recovery 

activities are achieved at lower costs than landfilling, resulting in 

significant cost-savings and avoided associated environmental impacts. 

For example, the dismantlement of Nashville Thermal Transfer, a 

waste-to-energy facility in Nashville, TN, resulted in 98.5% reuse and 

recycling of its equipment and C&D materials. Over 100 internet auction 

events sold over 1,000 tons of equipment and materials, (bringing in 

over $980,000 in revenue). In addition, thousands of tons of crushed 

aggregate were transferred off-site for use as backfull, and crushed 

asphalt was used off-site for a perimeter road. 

Generation of Construction and Demolition 

Waste Materials 

C&D materials are generated during new construction, renovation, and 

demolition of buildings, roads, and other structures. C&D materials 

include brick, concrete, masonry, soil, rocks, lumber, paving materials, 

and demolition (C&D) materials include wood, drywall, cardboard, brick, concrete, metal, insulation and glass. 

Preliminary estimates from the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA) show that the nation 

generated more than 160 million tons of building 

related construction and demolition (C&D) materials 

in 2003. According to the most recent data available 

(2003), nearly 53 percent of all building-related C&D 

materials are the result of demolition activities, 38 

percent of the materials are produced by renovation 

activities, while approximately nine percent are the 

result of construction. Of the total building-related 

C&D materials generated, EPA estimates that only 

40 percent were reused, recycled, or sent to wasteto-energy facilities, while the remaining 60 percent of 

the materials were sent to C&D landfills. 

What’s in Yo umpster

?

Pre-planning 

•	 Include contractor language	 

for RFP requiring C&D	 

recycling 

Integrate C&D Resource Recovery at Land Revitalization Projects 

Planning 

•	 Develop C&D recycling plan 

•	 State recycling goals 

•	 Identify materials for recovery	 

•	 Assign roles and responsibilities	 

(who, what, when, how) 

Demolition 

•	 Salvage materials 

•	 Deconstruct structures to maximize	 

quantity/quality of recoverable resources 

•	 Link a deconstruction project with a	 

current construction or renovation project	 

to facilitate reuse of salvaged materials 

•	 Sell or donate recovered materials 

•	 Reuse recovered materials onsite	 

•	 Send materials for recycling offsite 
shingles, glass, plastics, aluminum (including siding), steel, drywall, 

insulation, asphalt roofing materials, electrical materials, plumbing 

fixtures, vinyl siding, corrugated cardboard, and tree stumps. If 

properly planned, a vast majority of C&D materials can be recovered 

through reuse and recycling, which conserves resources and energy. 

What C&D Materials Cannot be Reused or 

Recycled? 

A certain portion of the materials from construction and demolition 

projects are toxic or classified as hazardous waste. Materials 

generated in new construction that may require special handling 

include latex paint, chemical solvents and adhesives. The materials 

should be managed according to local regulations. Lead paint can 

be planed, removed, and recycled at a lead smelter or disposed 

of appropriately, while the remaining wood can also be reused or 

recycled. 

The age of structures involved in demolition projects ranges 

considerably. Many older buildings may contain materials that are no 

longer allowed in new construction, such as asbestos and lead-based 

paint. Asbestos abatement is required prior to demolition. Asbestos 

must be handled appropriately and disposed in a landfill that accepts 

asbestos-containing material (ACM). Contact your landfill to find out if 

they accept ACM. 

Demolition—The complete removal of a building. Generally, after 

extracting easily removable materials for reuse or recycling, workers 

complete the demolition with heavy equipment. Additional recyclables 

are often sorted from the rubble generated during these demolition 

activities. In order to be recycled, materials must be separated from 

contaminants (e.g., trash, nails, broken glass). 

New Construction—Putting together all or part of a structure. Most 

construction site debris is generated from packaging and when raw 

materials are cut or sized. Workers can save large scraps for use 

in other projects. Durable packaging and unused materials can be 

returned to suppliers. Smaller scraps and non-durable packaging can 

be source separated when produced and recycled. 

Renovation—Partial removal of a building’s interior and/or exterior 

followed by construction. Contractors can adapt the same recovery 

techniques as above for renovation projects. 

Main C&D Recovery Streams 

Reuse—Many materials can be salvaged from demolition and 

renovation sites and sold, donated, stored for later use, or reused 

on the current project. Typical materials suitable for reuse include 

plumbing fixtures, doors, cabinets, windows, carpet, brick, light 

fixtures, ceiling and floor tiles, wood, HVAC equipment, and decorative 

items (including fireplaces and stonework). 

. . . recover them. 

Main C& D Recovery Project Types 

Deconstruction—A “soft” demolition technique, in which workers 

dismantle a significant portion of a building in order to maximize 

recovery of materials for reuse and recycling. In order for materials to 

be reusable, they must be removed intact (e.g., windows and frames, 

plumbing fixtures, floor or ceiling tails) or in large pieces (e.g., lumber). 

Recycling—Materials can either be recycled onsite into new 

construction or offsite at a C&D processor. Typical materials recycled 

from building sites include metal, lumber, asphalt, pavement (from 

parking lots), concrete, roofing materials, corrugated cardboard and 

wallboard. 

Results 

•	 Identify/quantify materials diverted	 

from the waste stream 

•	 Calculate cost-savings and other	 

benefits 

•	 Collect tax credits, rebates, green	 

building certifications, and other	 

incentives if applicable 

•	 Communicate/report results 

Construction/Renovation 

•	 Design building to facilitate future changes 

•	 Reuse existing structure whenever possible 

•	 Design for standard size building materials 

•	 Buy environmentally preferable construction	 

materials	 

•	 Sell or donate unused building supplies 

•	 Contract with suppliers that will take back	 

unused construction materials 

•	 Send materials for recycling 
Commonly Recovered C&D Materials Asphalt Paving 

Asphalt is crushed and recycled back into 

new asphalt. Markets for recycled asphalt 

paving include aggregate for new asphalt 

hot mixes and sub-base for paved road. For 

more information on recycling asphalt, visit 

www.arra.org 

Land Clearing Residuals 

Trees and brush—can be recycled as compost 

or mulch; soil can be reused as fill and cover 

For all C&D materials, hazardous 

Buildings 

Reuse large portions of existing structures 

during renovation or redevelopment. Extending 

the life cycle of existing building stock will 

conserve resources, retain cultural resources, 

reduce waste, and reduce environmental 

impacts of new buildings as they relate to 

materials manufacturing and transport. 

Gypsum Wallboard 

Remove and recycle gypsum drywall. Markets include 

new drywall manufacture, cement manufacture, and 

agriculture. Unused drywall can be returned to a 

supplier, donated, or sold. For more information on 

recycling drywall visit, www.drywallrecycling.org 

Wood 

Reuse timbers, large 

dimension lumber, plywood, 

flooring, molding, lumber 

longer than 6 feet. Clean, 

untreated wood can be 

recycled, re-milled into flooring, 

or chipped/ground to make 

engineered board, boiler fuel, 

and mulch. 

Metals 

Recycle metals found at a construction, 

demolition, or renovation sites. Common metals 

include steel, aluminum, and copper. Local 

metal scrap yards or recyclers that accept metal 

materials are typically accessible. Metals are 

melted down and reformed into metal products. 

Markets are well established for metals. For 

more information on recycling metal visit www. 

isri.org and www.recycle-steel.org. 

What’s in Your Dumpster

?
Brick 

Reuse clean brick in historical restoration projects. Recycle clean brick 

by crushing material. Market outlets for recycled brick include aggregate, 

drainage media, and general fill. 

Concrete 

Concrete is commonly recycled. It is crushed, the reinforcement bar is 

removed, and the material is screened for size. Market outlets for recycled 

concrete include road base, general fill, pavement aggregate, and 

drainage media. For more information on recycling concrete visit www. 

concreterecycling.org 

Roofing


(non-asphalt shingles) 


Reuse sheathing, terracotta, slate, or 

untreated cedar tiles. Metal materials 

can also be recycled. 

Asphalt Shingles 

Recycle asphalt shingles. After the 

removal of nails, asphalt shingles can 

be ground and recycled into asphalt 

mixes. For more information on 

recycling asphalt shingles, visit www. 

shinglerecycling.org 

Architectural Salvage 

Salvage for resale and reuse, doors and door frames, windows, structural 

systems, millwork, fixtures, and other materials. Wood structural systems rate 

highly for end-of-life reuse potential. Old mill buildings framed with large wood 

timbers are now treasure troves of material for new construction. Markets are 

well established and easily accessible. 

 or toxic materials should be removed and managed according to local regulations. 
Richmond, VA 

The former Lucent Richmond Works facility, a 120-acre RCRA facility, 

was fenced off and left idle, leaving behind over 700,000 square feet 

of old and dilapidated manufacturing buildings. With coordination 

between the developer, the previous site owner, EPA, and the Virginia 

Department of Environmental Quality, the property is being revitalized 

into The Shops of White Oak Village, a development that will feature 

several restaurants, a hotel, national retail stores, and several regional 

and local specialty shops. After demolishing the existing onsite 

buildings, the developer diverted 84,500 tons of material from landfills, 

achieving a 93 percent overall recycling rate. According to the project’s 

demolition contractor, the amount of materials diverted from landfills 

could have filled two Richmond Coliseums. Cost-savings associated 

with recycling and reuse of demolition materials are estimated to 

be approximately $3.6 million. The developer is now applying for 

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification 

from the U.S. Green Building Council, further demonstrating a 

commitment to sustainable development. For more information on this 

project, please visit: 

www.epa.gov/reg3wcmd/ca/va/pdf/vad066000993.pdf 

EPA C&D Recycling Success Stories 

Emeryville, CA 

In July 2003, the City of Emeryville provided $1,175,000 in EPA 

Brownfields Revolving Loan funds to GreenCity LLC to assist with 

cleanup costs associated with the GreenCity Lofts property, a former 

paint factory. The GreenCity Lofts project team completed cleanup 

of the 0.9-acre property in December 2004 and 62 condominiums 

were constructed in 2005. Demolition of the former paint factory 

and warehouse buildings was necessary before construction of the 

lofts could begin. The project team employed C&D waste recycling 

practices including deconstructing (hand dismantling) the buildings 

on the former industrial property as an alternative to traditional 

demolition. As a result, 94.6 percent of the demolition waste was 

recycled, exceeding the nearby City of Oakland’s legal requirement 

by 45 percent. In addition, 21,569 tons of excavated soil were diverted 

from disposal and used as Beneficial Cover at a local Class II Landfill 

reducing project cost by an estimated $496,708 in eliminated tipping 

fees. For more information on this project, please visit: 

www.epa.gov/brownfields/success/emeryvilleca_cd_ss_final.pdf 

Underground 

Storage Tanks 

The Underground Storage Tanks Program 

supports States, territories, and other 

partners in the cleanup and reuse of 

properties contaminated by petroleum 

releases from underground storage tanks 

and works to better integrate eligible 

petroleum brownfields into ongoing 

restoration/revitalization activities. 

Federal Facilities 

The Federal Facilities Restoration 

and Reuse Program works with 

other Federal and state agencies to 

facilitate the cleanup and reuse of the 

nation’s Superfund Federal facilities, 

including Base Realignment and 

Closure (BRAC) sites. 

Brownfields Cleanup 

and Redevelopment 

EPA’s Brownfields Program empowers states, 

communities, and other stakeholders in economic 

redevelopment to work together to prevent, 

assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse 

brownfields. The Brownfields Program provides 

technical and financial assistance, including 

grants for environmental assessment, cleanup, 

and job training. 

www.epa.gov/brownfields/ www.epa.gov/fedfac/ www.epa.gov/swerust1/ 
Worcester, MA 

In June 2003, EPA awarded Main South Community Development 

Corporation (CDC) in Worchester, Massachusetts a $200,000 

Brownfields Cleanup grant to address contamination discovered 

on 7.8 acres of the Gardner-Kilby-Hammond Neighborhood 

Revitalization Project—an ambitious $32 million dollar, 30-acre inner 

Detroit, MI city neighborhood redevelopment project. Cleanup of contamination 

present in the soil and the abandoned industrial buildings was 

In December 2005, the cleanup of a two-acre former automotive completed in March 2006. To help keep cleanup costs within Main 

property in Detroit, Michigan was made possible through the South CDC’s budget, McConnell Enterprises recovered multiple 

leadership of a local nonprofit organization and funding assistance construction and demolition (C&D) materials from the abandoned 

provided by EPA, in-kind services, and C&D waste recycling activities. industrial buildings, including: 10,000 cubic feet of concrete, 200 tons 

Working within a tight budget, Focus: HOPE Revitalization conducted of steel, 50,000 broad feet of hard yellow pine, and several hundred 

demolition and cleanup activities on the brownfields property for its tons of brick and granite. Salvaged materials were sold through local 

intended reuse as a parking lot for a planned mixed-use development and global markets, reused onsite for new construction, or recycled, 

on the adjacent property. Largely, the C&D waste recycling activities strengthening the local market for C&D materials. Main South CDC 

made the project feasible by reducing the total project cost by 20 was able to reduce project costs significantly as a result of its C&D 

percent, a savings of $150,000, through the recycling of approximately waste reduction strategies. Early planning and a phased approach to 

1,200 tons of materials and over 13,000 gallons of waste water. As the cleanup and development of the property also allowed for a major 

a result, the property’s reuse provided a catalyst to revitalization in phase of the Gardner-Kilby-Hammond Neighborhood Revitalization 

the surrounding neighborhood. For more information on this project, Project to move forward: the construction of a Boys and Girls Club and 

please visit: affordable housing for first-time homebuyers. For more information on 

www.epa.gov/brownfields/success/Detroit_MI_Success_012808.pdf this project, please visit: 

www.epa.gov/brownfields/sslocat.htm#reg1 

RCRA Corrective 

Action 

Superfund 

The Superfund Program manages cleanups of the 

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act nation’s uncontrolled hazardous waste sites that 

(RCRA) Corrective Action Program requires the pose a current or future threat to human health or 

investigation and cleanup of hazardous releases the environment. EPA’s Superfund Redevelopment 

at operating facilities. The RCRA Reuse and Program encourages communities at every cleanup 

Brownfields Prevention Initiative encourages the site to consider anticipated future reuses early so 

reuse and revitalization of RCRA sites so that the that cleanups can accommodate those uses, while 

land better serves the needs of the community maintaining standards that protect human health and 

through more productive use or as greenspace. the environment. 

www.epa.gov/swerosps/rcrabf/ www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle/ 
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What’s in Your Dumpster

?

Benefits to C&D Recycling 

Expanding Markets for Deconstruction Materials 

It’s getting easier to find homes for your deconstruction materials and used equipment. Many 

deconstruction items can be reused “as is.” Several cities now have stores that accept and 

resell donated surplus building materials and deconstruction materials. For instance Habitat 

for Humanity runs “Habitat ReStores” which are retail outlets where quality used and surplus 

building materials are sold at a fraction of normal prices. Many affiliates across the United 

States and Canada operate successful ReStores. There are several other independent stores 

as well. Some companies have found it useful to open up a building slated for demolition, 

partnering with non-profits or other groups to collect “deconstruction” items. There are 

also a number of auction or classified ad type websites where people can sell, donate, or 

advertise the need for materials and used industrial equipment. For more information on 

Habitat ReStores, please visit, www.habitat.org/env/restores.aspx. Other similar reuse stores 

and online materials exchanges can be found in the Building Materials Reuse Association’s 

directory: www.building-reuse.org/. 

• Reduces the 

production of 

greenhouse gas 

emissions and 

other pollutants 

by reducing the 

need to extract raw 

materials and ship 

new materials long 

distances. 

• Conserves landfill 

space, reduces 

the need for new 

landfills and their 

associated cost. 

• Saves energy 

and reduces the 

environmental 

impact of 

producing new 

materials through 

avoided extraction 

and manufacturing 

processes. 

• Creates 

employment 

opportunities and 

economic activities 

in recycling 

industries. 

• Saves money by 

reducing project 

disposal costs, 

transportation 

costs, and the 

cost of some 

new construction 

materials by 

recycling old 

materials onsite. 

United States Office of Solid Waste EPA-560-F-08-242 

Environmental Protection and Emergency April 2008 

Agency Response (5105T) www.epa.gov 

Resources 

EPA Construction and Demolition—www.epa.gov/cdmaterials 

Construction Industry Compliance Assistance Center—www.cicacenter.org 

Building Material Reuse Association—www.buildingreuse.org 

Construction Material Recycling Association—www.cdrecycling.org 

National Recycling Coalition, Industrial Materials Recycling Council— 

www.industrialresourcescouncil.org/ 

National Demolition Association—www.demolitionassociation.com 

EPA Industrial Materials Recycling—www.epa.gov/industrialmaterials Printed on Recycled Materials