Renovation is a great way to make your home feel more like your own. But the process generates a lot of waste which goes straight to landfill, damaging the environment. This includes old appliances and building materials if you don’t find ways to recycle them. This is where the importance of waste management comes in.
D.B.L. Disposal Service has been providing reliable solutions for managing waste, including recycling depots at competitive rates since 1954. We specialize in recycling and waste disposal for commercial, residential and industrial clients in Mid-Island. You can always count on us to get the job done right in the best possible manner.
WHY DO RECYCLING BUILDING MATERIALS MATTER?
Although people are happy to recycle plastic, paper or glass items, not many are aware about recycling building materials. If you consider the sheer volume of material that’s made use during the building process, recycling:
Cuts costs of production and transportation of new material
Cuts the need to move waste to landfill sites
Minimizes the demand for new resources
WHAT HAPPENS TO CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS THAT ARE RECYCLED?
After the options of reduction and reuse are exhausted, there are many recycling opportunities for construction and renovation materials. These are:
Concrete – It can be broken down and used for making the base course for footpaths and driveways.
Untreated timber – It can be used as firewood or applied for mulching. Large pieces can be sent to mills and be used again for construction.
Large dimension lumber, plywood, moulding and flooring – These can be reused directly for new projects.
Asphalt paving – It can be crushed for making new asphalt paved roads.
Metals – Metals like steel, aluminum and copper can be melted down and moulded to new metal products.
BE CAREFUL WITH ASBESTOS
Renovating homes that have asbestos products can result in the release of microscopic fibres into the air. This can cause serious health problems, such as cancer and lung diseases. Homeowners and contractors should take adequate precautions when handling asbestos-containing materials.
Common items that have asbestos are:
Gypsum board, dry wall and water proof board
Vinyl tiles, vinyl sheet flooring and linoleum
Textured surface coating, lath and plaster
Mastics, grout, tile and applied adhesives
Rock wool insulation and paper-backed fibreglass
Cement board, stucco, panelling and transite board
Ceiling tiles, ductwork and fibreboard
Asbestos cement pipe
Vermiculite
IN THE CASE OF DEMOLITION
If you are making use of demolition services, it’s necessary to process hazardous waste properly to keep them out of landfills. Materials like chemical solvents, latex paint and adhesives need to be treated carefully to minimize toxic build-up. Although this may take time and care to dismantle and segregate, the resale price alone makes the effort worthwhile.
There are a number of things to keep in mind before demolition, such as:
List out all the items that will be onsite before the process starts
Ensure a hazardous material survey by a qualified person before the demolition work
Review the item list with a salvage contractor and see if there are any recycling opportunities.
WORK WITH OUR RECYCLING PROGRAM
You can trust D.B.L. Disposal Service to properly recycle your waste during the renovation of your home. We have received the “Outstanding Public Service Award” because of our commitment to waste management. Our expert staff is skilled in providing customized waste disposal solutions for our clients.
For information on why it’s best for experts to handle waste management, read our blog post - Why Waste Management is Best Trusted to the Experts.
Call us to learn more about our recycling programs.