Construction Materials you should be Recycling
The construction industry keeps searching for ways to reduce its impact on the environment, especially with the growing concern about sustainability.
Construction waste is known to cause a substantial amount of damage, seeing as it makes up one-third of the refuse in most countries.
There is a huge cost to the environment because of the construction waste from construction sites.
In this blog, we will be covering some construction materials you should consider recycling and why it matters. Let’s dive in.
What is Construction Recycling?
Construction waste recycling can be defined as the converting and processing of waste materials generated during construction and remodeling and converted to reusable construction materials.
Whereabouts of Construction Waste
Firstly, construction wastes are wastes gotten from construction sites during construction activities.
There will always be construction waste materials. Every day, construction processes are carried out in several locations across the world which releases construction wastes.
Most buildings are made from different construction materials like concrete, cement, wood, plasterboard, metal, asphalt, and cardboard. It would be unwise to imagine a worksite without construction waste depending on the extent of these projects.
However, most of the construction materials share an unusual trait - together, they compose around 70 to 95% of discarded construction waste, which mostly ends up in landfills.
Even though there are certified financial perks of recycling to a business, add a greener planet earth to the list, some companies still are on the sidelines. By recycling construction wastes, the construction industry would bolster its environmental reputation. One construction material that draws a lot of eyes is glass. Glass wastage alone is capable of creating four billion square meters of recycled glass for future buildings and projects.
A lot of people don't know some of the risks that construction wastes possess. A good example is the dangerous risk that plasterboard carries with it.
Plasterboard has the ability to discharge Hydrogen Sulfide, an awfully disgusting gas that can bring about tainted water supply if disposed of incorrectly. It’s scary to think about the many ways in which not just your employees but the entire public can be at risk by just a single wrong action. Poor construction recycling processes do not just risk only people, they threaten our planet and future generations.
Types of Construction Material you should be Recycling and why it Matters
Here are some construction materials left from construction activities and why you should be recycling them and their importance.
Wood & Timber
The most sought after of many construction projects, wood and timber are often ordered in large amounts, with anything left over becoming waste and is taken away at the end of the building work.
Recycling Process
Wood and timber leftovers can always be converted for future usage. There is also the humble option of recycling the remaining wood and timber to donate to a charity.
Importance of recycling wood and timber
It is estimated that nearly 2 million cubic meters of wood and timber are dumped on the rubbish pile each year. By cutting this number and recycling most of the materials, you’ll be saving not only trees but also water. By recycling these materials, you will also be reducing landfill space by at least 238 cubic meters annually.
Plasterboard
Plasterboard is produced from gyprock and is used to create the interior walls and ceiling cladding in most private-owned homes and commercial buildings.
Recycling Process
Apart from agriculture, plasterboard can be recycled and converted to either paperboard or more plasterboard!
Importance of recycling plasterboard
It is estimated that a total of over 70 million tons of plasterboard is produced each year and a large number of these land in landfills as construction waste. Made from gypsum powder that can be refined, paper which can be recycled and a small amount of additives, plasterboard is completely recyclable.
Recycling plasterboard removes usable waste from landfills. It can decrease landfill and waste transportation expenses and helps save natural resources, by decreasing the demand for gypsum – a naturally occurring but limited mineral.
Bricks
Bricks have a lifespan of more than 200 years - like copper, bricks are long-lasting. You can recycle bricks that have been used in the construction of buildings.
Recycling Process
Unwanted bricks can be recycled in two different ways.
They can be washed and reused for a different construction tasks.
They can be smashed into small brick chips.
Importance of recycling bricks
It is estimated that some construction companies dump over 7 million tons of bricks into landfills every year. In real terms, that not-so-nice over 7 million is similar to saving up to 1.5million households from their energy bill for a month.
Metal
Metal is unique on this list as it lasts thousands of years. So no matter how the metal was used, such as pipes, plates, wiring, computers, radiators, or countless other ways, You can recycle metal of all kinds that have been used in the construction of buildings.
Recycling Process
Unwanted metal can be separated into two major categories.
Ferrous–containing iron (magnetic).
Non-Ferrous which doesn’t contain any iron (non-magnetic).
Importance of recycling metal
Metal is mined, it comes from the earth. To reduce the need to mine materials and reduce the pollution associated with it, recycling is a big help. Frankly metal is a commodity, so instead of adding to the cost of a building project, metal recycling can help add money back into the construction project budget.
At Olgin and Efune Recycling Company, we handle different kinds of metal recycling and would love to be your go-to source for any future needs you have to process unwanted materials.