More projects on Vancouver Island now come with waste diversion targets, whether from green-building programs such as LEED, a municipality’s demolition requirements, or an owner’s own sustainability goals. For general contractors, hitting the target is only half the job. You also have to prove it. Here is how construction and demolition waste diversion works, and how to document it.
What waste diversion means
Waste diversion is the share of a project’s construction and demolition waste that is kept out of the landfill by reusing, salvaging or recycling it. It is usually measured by weight: the tonnes diverted compared with the total tonnes of waste the project produced.
Where diversion comes from on a demolition
- Reuse and salvage: lumber, beams, doors, windows, fixtures and finishes recovered through deconstruction.
- Metal recycling: structural steel, rebar, piping, wiring and ductwork.
- Concrete and masonry: crushed for aggregate or fill.
- Clean wood: recycled or processed instead of landfilled.
- Drywall and other materials: recycled where a local facility accepts them.
Deconstruction, taking a building apart in order instead of knocking it down, gives the highest diversion, because materials come off clean and already separated.
How to document diversion
- Set the target and the method at the start. Know what your program or permit requires and how it calculates diversion.
- Separate materials on site. Mixed bins are hard to divert and hard to prove.
- Keep every receipt. Tipping receipts and weigh tickets from landfills, transfer stations and recyclers are the evidence.
- Record salvage and reuse. Note what was recovered, where it went and its weight.
- Summarize at the end. Total the tonnes by material and destination, and calculate the diversion rate.
Plan diversion into the demolition contract
Write the diversion target and the paperwork you need into the demolition scope. When the contractor knows up front that you need weigh tickets and a summary, the documentation is built into the job instead of chased afterwards.
Waste diversion questions
Can you provide diversion documentation for our project?
Yes. We provide tipping receipts and diversion summaries on request, for green-building, municipal and owner reporting.
Does deconstruction take longer than demolition?
Usually, because materials are removed in stages. Many projects combine the two: deconstruct what is worth saving, then demolish the rest.
What diversion rate can we expect?
It depends on the building. Wood-frame buildings with reusable lumber and fixtures divert the most. We can estimate it after walking the site.
Call (250) 419-5488 or email estimating@deconstructors.ca for a free project evaluation, or see our deconstruction services.
