General contractors have options for which construction and demolition (C&D) materials to reuse or recycle from affected projects. Common construction and demolition materials that can be reused or recycled include concrete and paving, corrugated cartons, wood, metal, paper, cardboard and plastics, and building components like windows and doors. Contractors also have options for where to take the C&D material, including going to a reuse or recycling facilities, using a qualified processor, and/or using mixed C&D processors.
Facilities for construction and demolition debris
The following information is supplied without endorsement. Other providers may also be available. The operational status of the providers listed below may change.
Most general contractors of affected projects use licensed haulers to take construction and demolition debris to any of several facilities, including:
- reuse or recycling facilities
- mixed construction and demolition processors
- landfills
Licensed haulers or the facilities receiving the construction and demolition debris materials can provide the weight information general contractors need for their required recycling reports. Before your project starts, reach out to your subcontractors, licensed hauler(s), processor and/or reuse facilities for how they will provide weight information.
Reuse and recycling facilities
The Austin area has many reuse and recycling facilities that accept construction and demolition materials like clean scrap material or reclaimed building components. Some facilities require materials to be sorted before they arrive, so talk to the facility beforehand to set up your construction or demolition site and processes accordingly. The recycling and reuse facilities provide the general contractors with a weight ticket summary that itemizes reused, recycled and landfilled tons for each load from the affected project. Use the Austin Reuse Directory to find where to donate, resell, recycle and repair items.
You can also donate reusable and salvage materials to local construction reuse organizations.
Commonly reused materials include:
-
Doors and windows
-
Fixtures, structural members and architectural parts
-
Masonry and similar items
Other materials that can be reused include ceiling tiles, appliances, carpet, gypsum, paint, porcelain and asphalt shingles.
Mixed construction and demolition processors
Mixed C&D processors accept C&D debris that has not been source separated. For a mixed C&D load, a processor will separate and divert metal, asphalt, brick, concrete, wood and other materials, when possible. Always double check with your licensed hauler and processor to find out which C&D materials are acceptable for mixed C&D.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has authorized several facilities to process mixed construction and demolition debris.
Commonly recycled materials include:
- Concrete and paving
- Corrugated cartons
- Wood
- Metal, paper, cardboard and plastics
- Building components
Qualified processors
The City of Austin (Austin Resource Recovery) registers mixed C&D processors as qualified processors if they meet certain criteria. These criteria include having an independent third-party validate the facility’s average diversion rate over several months.
Qualified processors can provide general contractors a simple summary with the total tons received from an affected project and the qualified processor’s average diversion rate. Qualified processors do not have to determine the tons diverted and landfilled from each load, which simplifies both the processing and reporting for the qualified processor and the general contractor. Currently, the City of Austin has no qualified processors. If you are a processor and would like to learn more about becoming a qualified processor contact us.
Other mixed C&D processors
Unlike qualified processors, C&D processors must examine each incoming load to determine the tons of materials landfilled and tons recycled. The processor then provides the general contractor with a weight ticket summary that itemizes landfilled and recycled tons for each load from the affected project. The general contractor must save and compile these weight tickets into a weight ticket summary spreadsheet (.xls) to complete their required recycling report. Processors can be added to or removed from this list, contact us.
- Austin Community Landfill, Waste Management of Texas
- J-V Dirt, Walker Aero Environmental
- River City Rolloffs & Recycling
- Texas Disposal Systems
- Travis County Landfill, Waste Connections