Demolition work can take a toll on the environment, especially when it is a large scale demolition project. Imagine any demolition site, noise and dust would be common to them all and when merged with improper waste management, the common problems that arise are air, water and noise pollution. While there is not much you can do about the noise and dust, you can do your bit when it comes to waste management. How? By integrating material recycling into your demolition work. And how do you do that? With our demolition contractors in Melbourne, let’s find an answer to this question.
Benefits of Recycling Demolition Waste
1. Ensures Optimum Utilisation of Landfills
In 2018-19, C&DW (Construction and Demolition Waste) accounted for 44% of the total generated waste. And out of this, 60% of waste was recycled. This number is enough to tell you how much space can be conserved by recycling demolition waste. So, rather than dumping it all into the landfill and making the recovery process of recyclable waste tougher, it is recommended to do the waste segregation at the demolition site.
2. Create Employment Opportunities
According to the Australian Government, for every 10,000 tonnes of waste recycled, 9.2 jobs are created. So, the moment you integrate material recycling in demolition work, you simply contribute to creating employment opportunities.
3. Brings in Sustainability to the Picture
When you recycle demolition waste, you reduce the amount of waste that would be burned or disposed of. The recycled material can then be used for further construction work and will reduce the amount of material that needs to be produced anew. For instance, concrete or asphalt can be recycled and be used as a base material for your driveways. Also, recycled timber can be developed into engineered wood and can be used to build furniture.
4. Helps Preserve Natural Resources and Reduces Harmful Emissions
When it comes to demolition waste, concrete forms a significant fraction and we all are aware of the harmful effects of its production on the environment. The production process leads to carbon emission and therefore adds to global warming. Also, when you recycle concrete or even timber, you reduce the number of natural resources that are used, in terms of extracting natural stones and felling of trees.
Demolition Waste That is Commonly Recycled
When it comes to your demolition waste, a lot can be recycled and then reused. Let’s have a look at the kind of demolition waste that can be recycled.
- Asphalt
- Brick
- Concrete
- Gravel
- Plastics
- Metal
- Cardboard
- Drywall
- Roofing
- Carpets
All of these items can be recycled and be put to better use than unnecessarily adding to the waste accumulated in the landfills.
How to Recycle Demolition Waste?
1. Opt for Deconstruction Instead of Demolition
While demolition is simply tearing down the entire structure, deconstruction is a systematic process conducted to recycle or reuse the fragments of an existing structure. The end result of both of these works is the same, the only difference is that with deconstruction you can do an efficient job at waste management.
Remember the three R’s of waste management: Reduce, reuse and recycle. Deconstruction would do well on all these fronts by reducing the waste generated and distinguishing the installations or materials that can be recycled or reused. Whereas, in case of demolition, it’s hard to preserve the reusable or recyclable items and it all often ends up in the landfills.
2. Perform waste Segregation at the Site Itself
The best way to integrate material recycling into demolition work is by conducting waste segregation at the site. Imagine trying to sort out recyclable materials from the huge pile of demolition waste. This makes the recovery of recyclable material even harder than it should be. So what you can do is ask your demolition contractors to simultaneously undertake the process of waste segregation so that you are sorted on that front by the end of the demolition work.
This also helps in preserving reusable and recyclable items. You can store them in a safe spot and ensure that they are not damaged during the demolition work through exposure to debris and water.
3. Always Proceed With a Proper Plan
If recycling materials during the demolition work is your aim, then make sure to proceed with a proper plan. Now, if you engage with complete demolition even when a partial demolition or strip outs service would have served your purpose you are simply wasting your time and money. For, instance, if you intend to renovate a space and not build it anew, you can keep the foundation intact considering there are no structural damages. If there is a section of your property that meets your current plan, you can skip the demolition of that section. When you do that, you are in a way recycling the materials at the site itself without having to go through the entire recycling process. This was our guide on how to integrate material recycling in demolition work. So, there is no reason why you should skip the recycling part. For expert guidance and smooth and efficient completion of your demolition work, get in touch with us at Merhi Group and secure for yourself a seamless demolition experience.