Change is Coming: Insights into C&D Trends

In our latest episode of NothingWasted! Podcast, you’ll hear a dynamic session from WasteExpo: “Change is Coming: Insights into C&D Trends.”

Construction and demolition (C&D) is the fastest-growing opportunity for landfill diversion, and this episode looks at what makes it more difficult than municipal solid waste recycling; what information is required to make it manageable; and the coming trends.

You’ll hear from Bill Bradley, owner of 5280 Waste Solutions; William Turley, executive director at Construction & Demolition Recycling Association; Tom Miles, executive director of the International Biochar Institute; and Dr. Timothy Townsend, professor of environmental engineering, ESSIE, University of Florida.

Here’s a sneak peek into the speakers’ insights:

Timothy Townsend: One of the strategies outlined in the Construction & Demolition Recycling Association guidance document is … remember all the risk levels and the regulatory guidelines you have to consult before reusing any waste product in the environment; they’re meant to be pretty conservative. And if you have a specific site where you want to reuse materials, there are always opportunities to do more site-specific risk evaluations. A lot of the risk calculations assume that all of the chemicals are available to the human body if they are somehow consumed—but we’ve done some tests that show only a fraction of these are bio-available. So, on a site-by-site risk assessment, we can better zero in on what the risk may be.

Bill Bradley: The production of biochar is growing—for urban wood waste, forest, agricultural, industrial and environmental markets. We see the markets are expanding with higher-quality products and non-soil uses. What we’re seeing really is the maturing of an industry. Production systems are increasing in quality and capacity and mobile flexibility. So, we think there are opportunities, especially on the wood, paper, mixed fraction. … We’re just getting started in seeing how biochar might fit with your industry and producing added value products.

Listen to the full episode below and more episodes here.