Typical Wastes Generated

Pre-construction activities involve the preparation of a site for future development. During this phase existing vegetation and structures may be removed, creating demolition waste including asbestos, mercury, PCB, lead based paints, and dust. Other pre-construction impacts include increased potential for storm water runoff and possible negative impacts on aquatic resources and habitat.

Construction activities may involve grading, drilling, and filling. These activities generally do not generate substantial hazardous waste but may result in habitat loss through erosion, sedimentation, and disruption of the natural environment. Building construction and maintenance activities generate wastes from paints, thinners, grease, resins and sealers, glues, cleaners, hydraulic oils, paint remover/stripper, soiled rags, and solder, as well as a host of solid wastes including paper, plastic, scrap lumber, insulation, metals, gypsum, and roofing materials.

Maintenance and Repair activities involve the removal and replacement of worn or damaged surfaces, structural members and lubricating or cooling fluids. This could result in the generation of hazardous wastes such as lead based paint or asbestos, cleaning fluids, used lubricating oil, and cooling system fluids.

Pollution prevention (P2) begins long before the first nail is driven.

Local government can conduct a baseline analysis of institutional issues that affect P2/ green building construction and maintenance policy implementation. Areas to examine include procurement policies, zoning, building codes and standards, operations and maintenance policies, and recycling policies. Throughout the construction and maintenance process, opportunities exist for implementing pollution prevention.

Construction and Demolition (C&D):

A major opportunity in the construction and demolition (C&D) industry is the expansion of the recovery and reuse of materials. Areas to examine include the type of demolition process selected, labor costs, contracting constraints, project schedules, material storage space, and marketability of materials.

Local governments should collaborate with the local stakeholders to understand local conditions and issues. The key is to make material recovery a part of the planning and contracting process. Make waste management and recovery plans part of the contractual scope-of-work. Recovery levels could be made an explicit factor in awarding contracts. Prevailing labor rates and local market conditions will need to be considered since labor costs are viewed as the single most important barrier to increasing C&D materials recovery.

Local planning and permit departments could consider the impacts of connecting permit authorization with material recovery efforts. Educational outreach programs including workshops, websites and informational packets are a critical source of encouraging greater participation in C&D material recovery programs.

Top Pollution Prevention Opportunities

1. Adopt a resolution or policy to direct future building toward green practices.
2. Use 'first-in, first-out' materials management.
3. Segregate waste streams.
4. Reduce risks of spills by controlling access to storage areas and routinely inspecting containers.
5. Recycle used cleaning, lubricating or cooling fluid.
6. Use water based paints and coatings to minimize the use of petroleum based solvents and the hazardous air emissions associated with such solvents.
7. Avoid unnecessary grading and removal of vegetative cover to minimize road run-off into surface water.
8. Use waterborne or thermoplastic traffic paint.
9. Consider deconstruction and reuse of existing buildings rather than demolition.
10. Use high efficiency lighting and electronic ballasts to illuminate roadways, tunnels, and install occupancy sensors to control lighting fixtures.

Success Stories

The Riverdale Deconstruction Case Study
This study fully documents the manual disassembly and salvage of a 2,000 square foot, 4-unit, residential building in an urban area of Baltimore County, Maryland. It addresses issues such as the salvage of common building materials (i.e. brick, framing lumber, hardwood flooring, windows, doors, and assorted fixtures), labor requirements and activities, total cost comparison, and environmental benefits, among others. In addition this study also proposes recommendations for the improvement deconstruction industry. For more information on this case study, contact Peter Yost at (301) 249-4000, or read about this case study on the internet at www.smartgrowth.org/casestudies/casestudy_index.html.

Fort ORD Deconstruction Pilot Project Summary
The closure of Fort Ord, U.S. Army Military Reservation in 1994 left more than 28,000 acres and over 7,000 buildings to be reused in the local community. Working collaboratively with the University of California Santa Cruz Extension and the Presidio of Monterey Base Realignment and Closure Office, the Fort Ord Reuse Authority established a specialized program for testing the feasibility of a more environmentally effective approach to remove the substandard facilities, abate the remnant hazards, and reuse the materials in new construction. Implementation began in April of 1998, with four buildings selected for deconstruction, three for relocation, and one concrete building for disassembly. Non-contaminated materials were offered at a public sale and contaminated materials were stockpiled for future research. For more details on this project and to receive a copy of the complete final report, call Standen Cook at (408) 883-3687, or read about them on the internet at www.fora.org.

City of Austin Smart Growth Initiative Summary
Early in 1998, the City of Austin, TX announced its kick-off of the Smart Growth Initiative. The ultimate goals of the initiative are to manage growth, protect the City's quality of life and assure the creation of a healthy economy. The Austin City Council created a special subcommittee to overhaul the City's Land Development Code to provide a foundation for the Smart Growth initiative by:

• Establishing general planning principles, including land use and traffic planning guidelines,
• Developing a City of Austin-supported neighborhood-based planning framework,
• Providing incentives and a viable mechanism for infill development and redevelopment,
• Analyzing the provision, management and regulation of wastewater service,
• Outlining a plan for the purchase of water conservation easements in our most environmentally sensitive areas,
• Creating a plain English version of the Land Development Code, and
• Simplifying the development process, providing project-based development guidelines, clear expectations, and definitive expiration dates.

For more information on this initiative, contact Michele Middlebrook-Gonzalez at (512) 499-2410, or read about it on the internet at www.ci.austin.tx.us/smartgrowth.

Resources

"Hazardous Waste Minimization Checklist and Assessment Manual for the Building Construction Industry," CA EPA, Dept. of Toxic Substances Control, Office of Pollution Prevention and Technology Development, May 1993, Sacramento, CA.

"Hazardous Waste Minimization for the Building Construction Industry," FactSheet, op. Cit.

"Building Construction Industry," Waste Audit Study, op. cit.

"Cooling Water Systems, Management Guidelines for Water Quality Protection," Palo Alto Regional Quality Control Plant, Palo Alto, CA.

"Blueprint for a Clean Bay, Construction-related Industries," Santa Clara Valley Non-point Source Pollution Control Program, 1992, San Jose, CA.

"Residential Construction Waste: From Disposal to Management," interim document, NAHB Research Center, Inc., Upper Marlboro, MD.

"Environmental Handbook For Oregon Construction Contractors: Best Pollution Prevention Practices," River City Resources Group, Inc., May 1994. (located in California EPA, Office of Pollution Prevention and Technology Development Reference Library, (800) 700-5854)

"Environmental Handbook For Oregon General Construction Contractors: Regulatory Guidance," Oregon Waste Reduction Assistance Program, Palermini And Associates, April 1994 (located in California EPA, Office of Pollution Prevention and Technology Development Reference Library, (800) 700-5854)

"Construction And Demolition Waste Recycling Guide: Recycling Construction and Demolition Waste In The Los Angeles Area," LA Network, August 1992 (located in California EPA, Office of Pollution Prevention and Technology Development Reference Library, (800) 700-5854)

"Blueprint For A Clean Bay: Best Management Practices To Prevent Stormwater Pollution From Construction-Related Activities," Bay Area Stormwater Management Agencies Association (BASMAA), 1995 (located in California EPA, Office of Pollution Prevention and Technology Development Reference Library, (800) 700-5854)

"Pollution Prevention Training Instructors' Guide," Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), March 1996 (located in California EPA, Office of Pollution Prevention and Technology Development Reference Library, (800) 700-5854)

"Start at the Source: Residential Site Planning & Design Guidance Manual For Stormwater Quality Protection," Tim Richman & Associates, January 1997 (located in California EPA, Office of Pollution Prevention and Technology Development Reference Library, (800) 700-5854)

Barron, Thomas S., "Pollution Prevention In The Construction Industry: A Workbook Covering The Chemicals Used And Wastes Generated By Construction Trades," Construction industry workshop, 1997 (located in California EPA, Office of Pollution Prevention and Technology Development Reference Library, (800) 700-5854)

Gruder, Sherrie, "Construction Resources: A Waste Reduction And Recycling Guide for Wisconsin Builders and Contractors," University of Wisconsin-Extension, Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center, 528 Lowell Hall, Madison, WI, Nov. 1997.