Building Materials:
Construction & Demolition Material Recycling

An estimated 136 million tons of building-related construction and demolition debris were generated in the US in 1996 (newer numbers were not available). That is an average of 2.8 pounds per person per day.

(Source: CHARACTERIZATION OF BUILDING-RELATED CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION DEBRIS IN THE UNITED STATES Report No. EPA530-R-98-010, Franklin Associates, June 1998)

But 60-80% of C&D materials are reusable and recyclable. These include: concrete, asphalt, brick, dirt & rock, wood (though there are some restrictions on treated or painted wood) metal (siding, pipe, storage sheds, old appliances), and landscape waste (tree limbs, brush, etc.)

During the construction of Sophia Gordon Hall, 75% of the waste was separated and recycled. The materials included: .......