sfenvironment.org

Construction and Demolition Debris Recycling

Construction and demolition (C&D) debris includes the materials that are discarded from construction and demolition activities including asphalt, concrete, brick, rock, soil, lumber, gypsum wallboard, cardboard and other associated packaging, roofing material, ceramic tile, carpeting, fixtures, plastic pipe, metals, tree stumps, and other vegetative matter resulting from land clearing.

In 2006, the City adopted Ordinance No. 27-06 mandating the recycling of construction and demolition (C&D) debris. This ordinance affects all construction projects such as new construction, remodels and partial demolitions, and requires the building permit holder or the property owner to make sure that all C&D materials removed from the project are properly recycled. This ordinance prohibits any C&D materials from being placed in trash or sent to a landfill.

C&D materials source-separated at the construction site for reuse or recycling must be taken to a facility that reuses or recycles those materials. The Ordinance requires that all mixed C&D debris must be transported off-site by a registered transporter and taken to a registered facility that can process mixed C&D debris and divert a minimum of 65% of the material from landfill. Besides hauling source-separated materials for reuse and recycling, the only exemptions from registering as a transporter are: a) property owners who remove C&D debris with their own vehicles, b) those who transport less than one cubic yard of C&D debris, or c) haulers whose vehicles have no more than two axles and no more than two tires per axle.

Full demolition of an existing structure requires that a Demolition Debris Recovery Plan (DDRP) be submitted to and approved by the Department of the Environment before a Full Demolition Permit (Form 6) will be issued by the Department of Building Inspection. The DDRP must demonstrate how a minimum of 65% of the material from the demolition will be diverted from landfill.

---