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Salon Summary #2

July 25, 2007 - Sawmill Community Room, 6pm

Topic: Recycling

Guest Leaders:
Julie Walleisa, Dekker Perich/Sabbatini
Douglas W. Vetter, PE Sandia National Laboratories Pollution Prevention Program

Resources: New Mexico Construction & Demolition Recycling Guide. This little booklet was produced by the NM Recycling Coalition in conjunction with the NM Construction & Demolition Recycling Task Force. The book is available online at www.reclyclenewmexico.com

Key Ideas:

  1. There is a cost to recycle. Our local economy is different than some regions because the cost to dump at local landfills is so low.
  2. To recycle a products after use is only one strategy. Remember the three biggest ideas to save resources: REDUCE, REUSE & RECYCLE.
    1. Reduce the quantity of material brought to a site
    2. Reduce waste
    3. Minimize packaging
    4. Arrange for return of unused material to suppliers
    5. Look for efficient transportation models – the truck that delivers new carpet can take away old carpet.
    6. The most efficient place to reuse a material is on site. For example, local vegetation removed to clear the site can be processed on site for landscaping mulch.
  3. Lessons learned from local projects seeking LEED certification:
    1. Work to develop a strong construction team. Contractor initiative and dedication to recycling produced a much higher % of recycled material than originally thought possible (Dekker Perich/Sabbatini and Enterprise Builders).
    2. Dedicate a location on site to separate materials for recycling.
    3. Habitat for Humanity Re-Store – will accept construction materials that are in a condition to be reused.
    4. Give materials to local workman and community, and document what was given.
    5. Fly ash in concrete design: Structural engineer can specify the % of fly ash (waste product of energy production). This is becoming a commodity. At one time it was “free” but now has a cost/value as it is requested by more projects. Evaluate if this product is appropriate for your project. Fly ash content contributes to increased length of curing time and higher eventual strength of concrete (consult with your Engineer).
    6. Clean gypsum board can be recycled. Generally, however, it is hard to recycle gypsum board.
    7. WOOD: Dimensional wood lumber can be recycled. Manufacturerd wood cannot be recycled due to glue content. Wood used for concrete formwork that has been in contact with formwork release oil cannot be recycled.
    8. METAL: Metal is easy to recycle – structural metal framing, scrap sheet metal, copper, aluminum, steel. Aluminum can be specified as “recycled aluminum” for all new aluminum purchased for the project. Most steel manufactured today is already 98% recycled content.
    9. Look for products made from recycled materials.
    10. LEED CORE & SHELL is easy to achieve LEED certification because of the large scale materials used.
    11. LEED INTERIORS is hard to achieve because the scope of project limits materials to smaller scale. Ceiling tile, carpet, gypsum board are hard to recycle.
  4. Future: Obstacles to recycling include how to gather enough of a  material for recycling to be cost/effective. Continue to look for new innovations in manufacturing, new collaboration in the recycling community, and increased sensibility in our community to REUSE material.