Construction and Demolition Industry
Strategies for Improved Environmental Management

Large amounts of usable materials are generated as waste and routinely landfilled every time a building, road, or home is constructed, remodeled or demolished. This material comprises approximately 30% of all non-municipal waste landfilled in Wisconsin*. These materials include concrete, wood, asphalt, gypsum (from drywall), metals, bricks, and plastics.

However, recent efforts are underway within the Wisconsin C&D industries to promote the reuse of these materials in an environmentally sound manner. Many of these materials can now be cost-effectively re-used , conserving valuable raw materials and improving a company's bottom line.

This web-site is intended to highlight current Wisconsin recycling and re-use trends and options, and describe relevant state regulatory requirements.

C&D in Wisconsin
Construction and Demolition Industry in the News

Management of Construction Debris has taken a step forward. The Department of Commerce released a Uniform Dwelling Code Bulletin [PDF exit DNR] that clarified the accepted practice of placing wood chip mulch as an erosion control strategy. This is important for the construction industry because it provides a value-added use for dimensional and engineered scrap lumber on construction sites.

The department intends on providing quick turnaround on requests from builders that intend on using wood chip mulch as an erosion control technique. At this time, only unpainted and untreated wood (dimensional lumber) are exempt by rule as a solid waste. However, the department has concluded that some engineered wood products pose little risk to the environment and on a case by case basis will approve chipping these products along with the dimensional lumber under a low hazard exemption. The Department is also currently evaluating methods for making the exemption process for using engineered wood in erosion control simpler than the current case by case process.

If you are interested in using scrap wood from construction or demolition sites for erosion control, contact the department for more information.

Current Projects & Trends

• Recycling Markets Directory
• Construction Waste Recycling at the Overture Center [exit DNR]

C&D Regulatory Requirements

• Pre-Demolition Checklist [PDF 102KB]
• Demolition Debris: Guidance on the Management of Debris Resulting from Natural Disasters or Planned Demolition Activities [PDF]
• Concrete Recycling and Disposal Fact Sheet [PDF]
• Substituting Waste Gypsum Wallboard for Agricultural Gypsum [PDF]
• Onsite Beneficial Reuse of Ground Engineered Wood Wastes [PDF]

Related Sites

• DNR - Waste Management
• EPA [exit DNR]
• WasteCap Wisconsin DNR [exit DNR]
• Green Building Alliance [exit DNR]