UFC 1-900-01
1 DECEMBER 2002
of a recycling operation. The distance that aggregates can be hauled economically
varies regionally. Each kilometer that a ton of aggregates is hauled can add 10 to 20
cents to its costs, depending on local aggregates supply and market conditions.
In many instances, a demolition budget can be reduced with a carefully planned salvage
and recycle operation. Experience shows that recycling can help achieve cost savings
of
||content||
to per square foot of building floor area. If the contractor saves money by
recycling, these savings can be passed on to the government in the bid or price for
demolition. The more material that is recycled, the less waste that ends up in the
landfills.
Reducing the volume of debris also reduces tipping fees at the landfill. In the recycling
industry, landfill-tipping fees have a major impact on the success of a recycling
operation. When tipping fees are high, there is more incentive to recycle to save
money. In rural areas where land is relatively inexpensive, the economics of recycling
are such that it costs less money to landfill C&D debris. The tipping fee in Moscow, ID,
is per ton compared to per ton in Portland, OR. When landfill-tipping fees are
low, there is a higher tendency to landfill the material even though it is not
environmentally preferable.
Materials with high recycle potential include aggregates, metals, wood, asphalt,
concrete, and cardboard. Materials with possible recycle potential include glass,
plastics, carpeting, and gypsum wallboard. A large quantity of a recyclable material has
potential of returning a profit if there is a market demand for it. Handling and hauling
costs may be recovered through the value of the recycled materials. However, there is
little potential to generate income from simple recycling.
There is a wide variation in product prices for processed C&D waste. For example,
highly specialized products such as painted landscape rock may sell for as much as
per ton, while poor quality fill material might sell for less than
||content||
per ton. The price for
roadbase, the principal market for recycled aggregates, is much narrower. The reported
U.S. sales prices for roadbase ranges from .76 to .70 per ton. The U.S. market
price for wood, sold as a cogeneration fuel, ranges from .00 to .50 per ton.
Using recycled materials in place of virgin materials is a closed loop process that
extends the life of natural resources. Life cycle costs can be reduced depending on the
level of recycling done. Also, recycled products of all types require less energy to
create than their virgin-material counterparts do. As the C&D recycling infrastructure
grows, these benefits will begin to contribute to reduced construction product costs.
3-1.3 Recover (Cost). The handling of materials during salvage creates the cost of
recovery. Extra care is needed in the removal of salvageable materials so that they are
not damaged. This, in turn, results in additional costs. Additional costs to remove
components from a building before demolition can range from to per square foot
of building floor area. Table 3-2 lists typical components/materials with a high recovery
potential.
3-2
Previous Page
