Alberta is implementing a province-wide initiative to recycle construction and demolition waste.
Edmonton
Alberta is implementing a province-wide initiative to recycle construction and demolition waste.
Waste from construction and demolition makes up 23 per cent of what goes into Alberta landfills, while about four to seven tonnes of waste is generated in the construction of an average-sized home.
A new landmark agreement between the Government of Alberta, the Alberta Construction Association and the Canadian Home Builders’ Association-Alberta plans to implement a program in 2010 that will eventually eliminate construction waste from landfills.
“If we divert even 50 per cent of construction and demolition material, the amount we send to landfills would drop by 130 kilograms for each Albertan every year,” said Diana McQueen, parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Environment. “When implemented, the program will support Alberta’s Too Good to Waste strategy, and will be the first of its kind in Canada making Alberta a leader in waste reduction in the construction and demolition sector.”
The construction and demolition stewardship program would increase recycling of many building materials, including concrete, asphalt, wood and drywall and prevent them from clogging Alberta’s landfills.
“Alberta’s construction industry seeks to improve environmental sustainability of our operations including reducing waste to landfill,” said Bernal Ulsifer, chairman of the Alberta Construction Association. “This stewardship program has the potential to encourage an increase in capacity of recyclers, which is currently a constraint. A province-wide approach will reduce the costs of compliance as builders will not have to learn a different regime for every community.”
Metro Vancouver (formerly know as the Greater Vancouver Regional District) is developing a long term plan to reduce the volume of solid waste entering the land fill by 70 per cent. Construction contractors can minimize the amount of waste sent for disposal by developing a waste management plan, educating sub-contractors and site workers, and specifying packaging and delivery requirements when purchasing materials.
DCN News Services
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