Question:
What types of home construction materials can be recycled?
Answer:
There are many products of new home construction (and home remodeling) that can be recycled or reused. The cost-effectiveness of recycling is affected by market price and the availability of local outlets for materials. Following are some jobsite materials that can be recycled:
- Scrap wood
- Drywall
- Cardboard
- Metals
- Vinyl (particularly PVC)
- Asphalt shingles
The Residential Construction Waste Management: A Builder's Field Guide offers the following guidelines for cost-effectiveness of recycling and describes case studies of several builders around the country who use different approaches to construction waste management.