Demolition Debris is a Recycling Goldmine that Can Save Money and Maximize Resources
In demolitions and excavations, we oftentimes come across large amounts of waste that is otherwise sent to our Canadian landfills no questions asked. Fortunately, when you work with an environmentally sustainable and committed Toronto demolition company, you have a partner who’s looking for ways to make the most from the unavoidable waste created.
Reducing waste is a huge focal point of contemporary demolition work. By reducing our landfill waste, what would otherwise be sent to the landfill can be repurposed and recycled in one way or another. All the air, soil, and water pollution which has traditionally been associated with construction and landfills are done away with, if we can successfully conserve the energy, resources, and waste products we have. How do we do this, from the perspective of waste in demolition – here’s your answer.
Toronto’s a city in heavy development and among all the debates happening around new constructions, there’s a commitment there by almost every builder and city official to build sustainably. What this means is green building construction and demolition. Any materials removed from a property are considered for reuse or recycling. Thankfully, a lot of demolition materials are recyclable. Aggregates can be derived from reclaimed crushed concrete, salvaged lumber, or drywall scraps.
Once a building has been designated for a tear-down and demolition, city officials and stakeholders already know there’s going to be a large amount of waste created. Concrete, wood, drywall, and other types of masonry can be safely removed from a building and repurposed. The process of doing this is called ‘deconstruction’, which is the orderly dismantling of a building and its components. Old-school demolitions would simply knock a property down and haul everything off to the landfill, without sorting anything or consideration. When one deconstructs, a property is carefully evaluated. Things like cabinetry, windows, fixtures, and at times, even the framework, has a place in Toronto waste management and recycling.
Demolition companies concern themselves with many aspects of old and new constructions, in addition to sometimes being employed in disaster response efforts. Thankfully, Toronto does not have very many disaster response needs resulting in most demolitions being related to constructions. Sometimes it can be the renovation of a century-old building, restoring brownfield sites, or decommissioning an industrial site.
Brownfield sites are in particular something Ontario has several of. These are sites contaminated with hazardous materials of some kind – sometimes dry-cleaning plants, gas stations, or old industrial sites.
Regardless of whether it’s residential, commercial, or industrial, demolition companies excel at removing materials in a safe, effective, and eco-friendly manner. Unfortunately, not enough attention is paid to the wealth of materials that are removed from Toronto demolitions. There are sometimes entire goldmines of debris which can be recycled or reused in some manner. Large quantities of metals, bricks, aggregate materials, and other resources are not there to be thrown away. These materials can be refurnished, recycled, or reused, deriving potentially millions of dollars in profit as well as saving energy on the production of metals and other construction materials.
For the housing, parks, community centers, commercial buildings, and industrial sites that make up the GTA, demolition companies are a somewhat untapped stakeholder in the conservation and renewal of our environment. To learn more about the impact eco-friendly demolition can have on your next construction project, speak with a representative at Core Mini Bins today.
