Construction and Demolition Waste Reduction in Austin, TX: A Review of Best Practices, Case Study, a

Construction and Demolition Waste Reduction in Austin, TX: A Review of Best Practices, Case Study, and Project Proposal

2 Department of Construction Management, University of Washington. ***

Abstract

Constructionanddemolition(C&D)wasteisasignificantenvironmentalconcern,asalargeamountofwasteisgenerated andsenttolandfillseachyear.Toaddressthisenvironmentalissue,thisarticleprovidesanin-depthoverviewofthebest management practices for the reduction of C&D waste materials generated and ending up in landfills. The article covers severalcriticalareas,includingcurrentpoliciesandlegislationinfluencingC&Dwastemanagementindifferentstates,with a particular focus on Austin, Texas. The review identifies some best practices for managing C&D wastes, such as conducting an inventory of recyclable materials, assessing the economic and environmental benefits of recycling, identifying the best recycling options, establishing a storage and pick-up plan with recycling companies, and educating employees. In addition, the article points out the importance of C&D waste reduction and recycling in promoting environmental stewardship and sustainability. By implementing these best practices, construction companies and contractorscansignificantlyreducetheamountofC&Dwastesenttolandfills,conservenaturalresources,andcontribute toamoresustainablefuture.Ingeneral,thisarticleservesasacomprehensiveguideforindustryprofessionals,concerned individualsandpolicymakersseekingtoimproveC&Dwastemanagementpracticesandpromotesustainablepracticesin theconstructionindustry.

Keywords: Construction, demolition, waste management, recycle, reuse, policies and regulations, sustainability, Landfills, Austin Texas.

Introduction and Background

Construction is an important sector for the development of the economy and infrastructure of a country, but it has also been proven to generate a significant amount of waste. Construction and demolition (C&D) waste refers to the materials that are discarded or in excess from construction, demolition, and renovation activities (Thomas & Wilson, 2013). C&D waste can include concrete, metal, wood, glass, asphalt, plastic, tile, drywall, insulation, and roofing materials. These wastes are often bulky, heavy, and difficult to recycle or dispose of. In addition, they can pose environmental and health hazards if they are not responsibly managed. C&D waste can contribute to land degradation, greenhouse gas emissions, waterpollutionandresourcedepletion(Thomas&Wilson,2013).Asaresult,itisessentialtoadopteffectivestrategiesfor reducing,reusing,andrecyclingC&Dwastematerials.

Construction and Demolition waste management is the process of minimizing the generation of wastes particular to construction activities and maximizing its recovery and reuse. C&D waste management can benefit the construction industrybymeansofcostreduction,increasedprofitability,andenhancedsustainability.C&Dwastemanagementcanalso benefit the environment and society by conserving natural resources, mitigating climate change impacts, and saving landfill space (“A Critical Literature Review on Construction Waste Management”). C&D waste management can be implemented at various stages of the construction process, such as planning, design, procurement, construction, and demolition. At every stage, careful consideration of the materials used and reused can potentially help to optimize C&D wastemanagementplans.

OneofthemeanstocompareandevaluateC&Dwastemanagementpracticesindifferentregionsistostudytheirpolicies and regulations. Policies and regulations can provide inducements or requirements for diversion of C&D from landfills. C&DwastediversionreferstotheprocessofseparatingC&Dwastematerialsatsourceoratadesignatedfacilityforreuse or recycling. C&D waste diversion can significantly reduce the amount of waste disposed in landfills and increase the availability of recycled materials for construction purposes. Different regions in and around the United States have adopted different approaches to C&D waste diversion policies and regulations, depending on their local context and challenges.Inthispaper,wewillreviewsomeofthebestpracticesofC&Dwastediversionpoliciesandregulationsinfive regions:Massachusetts,Washington,Ontario,SanJose,andHawaii.

Austin

InNovember2015,theAustinCityCouncilapprovedthe Constructionanddemolitionordinanceandadministrativerules toincreasereuseandrecyclingofmaterialsfromconstructionanddemolitionprojects.Theordinanceismodeledafterthe City’s Green building efforts and is consistent with the City's Zero Waste goal and the Austin Resource Recovery Master Plan,(AustinResourceRecovery,2015).Initially,theordinanceaffectedcontractorsworkingoncertainconstruction(not demolition)projects.Projectsthatmeetbothconditionswillbeaffected:

i. PermitapplicationsubmittedonorafterOctober1,2016

ii. Permitincludesmorethan5,000squarefeetofnew,added,orremodeledfloorarea.

On Oct. 1, 2019, the ordinance was updated which included commercial demolition projects. Commercial demolition projectsofallsizeswillhavetomeettheordinancerequirement.

TheDiversionRequirementsforGeneralcontractorsforAffectedProjectsmustdoatleastoneofthefollowing:

i. Divertfromthelandfillatleast50percentoftheconstructionprojectdebris.

ii. Disposenomorethan2.5poundsofmaterialpersquarefootoffloorareainthelandfill.

The city of Austin has several options for processing and hauling debris from construction, which makes it easier for contractorstomeettherequirementofthisordinance.

When a general contractor requests a final building inspection for an affected project, the contractor must report how much construction debris was landfilled, reused, or recycled. Contractors failing to report are subject to a Class C misdemeanor.

A general contractor who is unable to meet the ordinance requirements for an affected project is expected to request a waiver through the online reporting system. The contractor must show that there was a good faith effort to meet the ordinancediversionrequirements.

Ageneralcontractorwhoseaffectedprojectdidnotmeettherequirementsandthusdoesnothaveanapprovedwaiveris subjected to a Class C misdemeanor. Contractors must keep waiver documentation for two years, (Austin Resource Recovery,2015).

Review of Best-Practices and Research Literature

The aim of this review section is to provide an overview of the best management practices to reduce the amount of constructionanddemolition(C&D)wastematerialsgeneratedandenteringlandfills.Constructionanddemolitionpolicies and legislation influencing C&D waste management in different States are reviewed. Given the diverse C&D waste materialsproducedinAustin,Texas,thisliteraturereviewexaminessomeofthebestC&Dwastemanagementpracticesin otherstates.

Best Management Practices

I. Inventory materials that can be recycled

Before the commencement of building or demolition activities, a physical inventory of all materials that will be encountered should be taken. Inventory should not be limited to known recyclable materials. Include all by-products resultingfromeithertheconstructionordemolitionprocesses.Whentakingthisinventory,thecontractorshouldnotethe following:

i. Specifictypesofmaterials(i.e.,redbricks,pavers,asphalt-basedroofingshingles,2x12lumber).

ii. Volumesofmaterialexpected.

iii. Conditionofmaterials.

iv. Contaminationbyhazardousmaterialssuchasasbestosorlead.

II. Identify the recycler that will accept materials at the best price.

Oncematerialshavebeeninventoried,researchwhetherthematerialcanconvenientlyberecycledintheAustinarea.This includescontactingrecyclerswiththematerialsinventoryandassessingtherecyclers’abilitytoaccommodateyourneeds. During this process it is significant to remember that there are numerous C&D recyclers in the State of Texas, each specializingindifferentmaterials.Whendiscussingtypesofmaterialswithpotentialrecyclers,talkabout:

i. Qualityofthematerial.

ii. Typeofhandlingconsiderationstobeaddressed.

iii. Thevolumeofmaterialtherecyclercanaccommodate.

iv. Doesthedemolitioncontractorcareabouttheenduse?

v. Pricetherecyclerwillchargefortheirservices.

Although it is important to identify a recycler that can address your needs, it is also important to find the most costeffectiveopportunity. There will undoubtedlybea numberof recyclerstochoosefrom,a goodpracticeistofindtheone thatisfairlypricedandoffersareliableservice.

III. Determine Benefits

Afteridentifyingrecyclablematerialsandarecyclingcompanythatcanaddressyourneeds,determinetheeconomicand environmental benefits of recycling your C&D material. To do this, it is important to first estimate costs for traditional disposalbytakingthefollowingintoaccount:

i. Labororfeesinvolvedwithdisposal.

ii. TransportationfeesforC&Dmaterial,includingbutnotlimitedtogasandmileage;and

iii. Tippingfeesforlandfillingordisposalatatransferstation.

Oncethesecostshavebeenaccountedfor,theyshouldbecomparedwithrecycling feesandassociatedcostsforrecycling. When performing your cost-benefit analysis, it is recommended to account for the resale of materials and savings on futureprojectsresultingfromthereuseofmaterials.

Inadditiontocostsavings,theincentives associated withrecyclingC&D material shouldalsobeexamined. This includes becomingmorecompetitiveduetocommitmenttotheenvironmentandbecomingmoreattractivetoprivatesectorclients owing to environmental stewardship. Additionally, the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) has a certification program called Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) where companies can check eligibility criteria. Visitwww.USGBC.orgformoreinformation

IV. Determine storage needs for the project.

Afterfindingarecycler(s)thatcanaddresstheproject’sneeds,itisimportanttoprepareaplanfortheon-sitestorageand separation of C&D material. This includes identifying how and where recyclable C&D materials will be contained onsite. Whenconsideringthesefactors,itisimportanttoaccountfor:

i. Accessibility:Makesurethatcontainersareinplacesthatareeasilyaccessiblebyworkers.

ii. Safety:Ensurethatthecontainersandstoragecanbeconductedinasafemannerincludinglimitingpublicaccess tothesite,and

iii. Aesthetics:Makesurethattheconstructionsitelooksorganizedandwillnotcauseconcernfromlocalresidentsor businesses.

Oncelocationsforcontainershavebeenchosen,the nextstepistodecidewhichdisposaltechniquesbestsuittheproject andtherecycler.Forthisdecisiontherearetwooptions:

i. Arrange for all recyclable material to be stored in one roll-off container: This option requires all recyclable materialsstoredinoneroll-offcontainertobeseparatedatalaterdatebytherecycler.

ii. Separate materials into dedicated containers on site. This option involves using separate containers for each material.

Determiningthestorageoptionsshouldbea decisionmade with thecontractedrecycler.Some recyclingcompaniesmay nothavetheabilitytoseparatematerialsafterpickup,whichwouldrequireon-siteseparationofthematerials.Inaddition, therearesomeformsofC&DwastethatmaycontaminatetheotherrecyclableC&Dmaterials,makingitinappropriatefor recyclingandrequiringseparatecontainerization.

V. Establish a pick-up plan with recycler.

Onceamaterialseparationandstorageplanhasbeencreated,establishapick-upplanwiththerecycler.Iftherecycleris unabletopickupC&Dmaterial,findahaulingfacilitythatcanaddresstheseneeds.Whenestablishingapick-upplan,itis importanttoconsider:

i. Schedule: This can be either at a pre-agreed upon time or per requests; whichever way, materials should be removedfromthesiteinatimelymanner.

ii. End-use: It isimportantto ensurethat thehaulerisdeliveringC&Dmaterial tothe properrecyclingdestination andnottoalandfill.

VI. Educate your employees.

Upon establishing logistical plans for the separation, storage, and recycling of C&D material, employees and contractors should be informed of new operating procedures. Ensure that not only how to properly recycle C&D material is well communicated,butalsothereasonforrecyclingC&Dmaterial.Educatingemployeeswillallowthemtoassistinchoosing which materials are suitable for recycling, and which materials can be reused on future projects. When educating employeeshowtorecycleC&Dmaterial,itisimportanttoconsider:

i. Potentiallanguagebarriersandplanforovercomingthem.

ii. Oversightandensuringreusableandrecyclablematerialsareproperlyseparated.

iii. Specialtrainingforthesupervisorormanagerresponsibleforperforming.

iv. Informingnewemployeesiftheoperationhasahighturnoverrate;and

v. EducatingemployeesthatrecyclingC&Dhasbothenvironmentalandfinancialbenefits.

Policies and Legislations San Jose, California

In July 2001, the City of San Jose in California launched its Construction and Demolition Diversion Deposit (CDDD) Program,whichwastargetedtoincreasethediversionofC&Dwastematerialsfromlandfills(CityofNewYork,2003).The CDDDProgramrequiredallprojectsthatneededapermittobuildtopayadeposit,whichwascalculatedbasedon thesize of the project and valuation. This was inclusive of both public and private projects, with few exemptions. Public projects were expected to achieve about 75 percent recycling rate, while private projects were required to achieve about 50 percentrecyclingrate(CityofNewYork,2003).

To reclaim their deposit, private project developers were required to demonstrate that they had gotten back at least 50 percent of the waste they produced. This could be done by delivering C&D waste to a city-certified processor and providing the necessary documentation, or by reusing materials on-site or elsewhere. The latter option required city approvalandverification.Itisnoteworthythatmanylargeprojectsreusedrubble(brick,concrete,stone,etc.)onsiteasfill materials.

Accordingtoa2004reportbyCascadiaConsultingGroup(2004),SanJoseachievedaround64percentdiversionratefor C&Dmaterialsintheyear2003,exceedingitsgoalof50percent.Inthesamereport,severalfactorsthat contributedtothe successofC&DwastediversioninSanJosewerealsoidentified,suchas:

i. Strong demand for recycled materials from local markets and end-users, especially for concrete and asphalt (CascadiaConsultingGroup,2004).

ii. High tipping fees for landfill disposal and lower fees for recycling facilities, creating a financial incentive for diversion(CascadiaConsultingGroup,2004).

iii. EffectiveenforcementoftheCDDDProgrambythecityandthestate(CascadiaConsultingGroup,2004).

iv. InnovationandcollaborationamongstakeholdersintheC&Dindustry,suchascontractors,haulers,recyclers,and regulators(CascadiaConsultingGroup,2004).

Massachusetts

One of the strategies that Massachusetts has used to reduce the amount of C&D waste entering landfills is to implement landfill bans for specific materials (Sonnevera International, 2006). According to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), asphalt pavement, brick, metal, concrete and wood were banned from disposal in the year2006,andcleangypsumboardwasbannedintheyear2011(DEP,n.d.).ThesebanswerepartofaSolidWasteMaster PlannamedBeyond2000,whichaimedtoachieveanalmost90percentreductioninlandfillednon-municipalsolidwaste by 2010 (Sonnevera International, 2006). Still, the effect of landfill bans on C&D waste reduction in Massachusetts has been mixed. While the recyclingrate forasphalt,brick andconcretewasalreadyhighbeforetheban,the total volumeof non-bannedrecycleditemsdoubledbetweentheyears2007and2009(DEP,2011).Thissuggeststhatotherfactors,such astheadvancementofrecyclingprocessesandthedevelopmentofrecyclingmarketsandhavealsocontributedtotherise inrecyclingrates.

Hawaii

Hawaii faces unique challenges in managing C&D waste due to its geographic isolation, limited land availability and high transport costs. Compared to other states, Hawaii does not have any statewide regulations or policies to mandate or incentivize C&D waste diversion. Instead, the state relies on voluntary initiatives and local regulations to promote the reduction,reuse,andrecyclingofC&Dwaste(HawaiiDepartmentofHealth,n.d.).

One of the most active jurisdictions in Hawaii is the City and County of Honolulu, which covers the island of Oahu. HonoluluhasimplementedseveralmeasurestosupportC&Dwastediversion,suchas:

i. ProvidingagreenbusinessprogramandrecyclingdirectorytolinkC&Dwastegeneratorswithrecyclersandendusers(CityandCountyofHonolulu,n.d.)

ii. ImplementingareducedtippingfeeformixedC&Dmaterialsthataredeliveredtoadesignatedmaterialrecovery facility(CityandCountyofHonolulu,n.d.).

iii. Requiringcontractorstosubmita wastemanagement planforprojectsthatproducemorethan100tonsofC&D waste(CityandCountyofHonolulu,n.d.).

iv. DevelopmentandsupportingofC&Drecyclingmarketsandfacilitiesthroughloans,grants,andpartnerships(PVT LandCompany,n.d.).

Accordingtoa2010reportbyR.W.Beck(2010),Honoluluachieveda68percentdiversionrateforC&Dmaterialsin2008, exceedingits50percenttarget.ThereportalsoidentifiedseveralfactorsthatledtothesuccessofC&D wastediversionin Honolulu,suchas:

i. Highdemandforrecycledmaterialsfromlocalmarketsandend-users,especiallyforasphalt,concreteandmetals (R.W.Beck,2010).

ii. Increased tipping fees for landfill disposal and less fees for recycling facilities, creating a financial incentive for diversion(R.W.Beck,2010).

iii. Productiveenforcementofthewastemanagementplanrequirementbythecountyandstate(R.W.Beck,2010).

iv. Collaboration and innovation among the C&D industry stakeholders, such as contractors, haulers, recyclers, and regulators(R.W.Beck,2010).

Ontario, Canada

To respond to a looming waste disposal crisis caused by scarcity and excessive cost of landfill space, the government of Ontario introduced a Waste Reduction Action Plan (WRAP) in 1994. The idea aimed to divert about 50 percent of the province’stotalwastefromlandfillsbytheyear2000,using1987wasteproductionlevelsasareference.Akeycomponent oftheWRAPinitiativewasthedevelopmentofthe“3Rs”regulations,whichweredesignedtopromotethereduction,reuse andrecyclingofwastegeneratedbythemunicipalandindustrial,commercial,andinstitutional(IC&I)sectors(Sonnevera International,2006).

The 3Rs regulations addressed construction and demolition (C&D) waste diversion in two ways. First, they required contractorstoconductawasteauditandawastereductionwork planforbuildingslargerthan2,000squaremetersthat were being built or demolished. The waste audit included identifying and quantifying the types and amounts of waste produced by the project, while the waste reduction work plan included strategies for minimizing, reusing, and recycling

waste.Theworkplanalsoincludedmeasuresforcommunicatingthewastereductiongoalsandmethodstoallworkersat thesite(SonneveraInternational,2006).

Second, they required certain C&D waste materials to be separated at source during the construction or demolition of buildings larger than 2,000 square meters. For demolition projects, these materials included asphalt pavement, brick, concrete, metal, and wood. For construction projects, these materials included cardboard, metal, drywall, and wood. The separatedmaterialshadtoberecycledorreused,excepttherewerenofeasiblemarketsorfacilitiesavailable(Sonnevera International,2006).

The3RsregulationswereintendedtostimulatethedevelopmentofC&DwasterecyclingmarketsandfacilitiesinOntario by creating a steady supply of recyclable materials and reducing the disposal costs for contractors. Nevertheless, the regulations were never enforced due to a lack of political will and industry resistance. As a result, the impact of the regulationsonC&DwastediversioninOntariohasbeeninconsistentandlimited(SonneveraInternational,2006).

Washington

ThestateofWashingtonfacessimilarchallengestoOntariointermsoffindingadequateandaffordablelandfill spacefor C&D waste. However, unlike Ontario, Washington has not adopted any statewide regulations or policies to mandate or incentivize C&D waste diversion. Instead, the state relies on voluntary initiatives and local ordinances to promote the reduction,reuse,andrecyclingofC&Dwaste(KingCounty,n.d.).

OneofthemostactivejurisdictionsinWashingtonstateisKingCounty,whichengirdlesSeattleanditssurroundingareas. KingCountyhasestablishedseveralmeasurestoencourageC&Dwastediversion,suchas:

i. Banning certain readily recyclable materials from landfill disposal, such as cardboard, metal, gypsum scrap, asphaltpaving,cleanwood,concreteandbricks(KingCounty,n.d.).

ii. RequiringmixedC&Dmaterialsandnon-recyclablewastesgeneratedinthecountytobesenttodesignatedC&D materialrecoveryfacilitiesortransferstations(KingCounty,n.d.).

iii. Providing technical support and tools for green building projects, such as design for disassembly guidelines and constructionrecyclingprograms,salvageanddeconstructioncodes,wastediversionreports(KingCounty,n.d.).

iv. SupportingthedevelopmentofC&Drecyclingfacilitiesandmarketthroughloans,grants,andpartnerships(King County,n.d.).

According to a 2016 report by Cascadia Consulting Group (2017), King County achieved a 62 percent diversion rate for C&D materials in the year 2015, exceeding its 60 percent target. The report also highlighted several factors that contributedtothesuccessofC&DwastediversioninKingCounty,suchas:

i. High demand for recycled materials from local markets and end-users, notably for wood, metal, and concrete (CascadiaConsultingGroup,2017).

ii. High tipping fees for landfill disposal and lower fees for recycling facilities, creating financial incentives for diversion(CascadiaConsultingGroup,2017).

iii. Effective enforcement of the landfill bans and designated facility requirements by the county and the state (CascadiaConsultingGroup,2017).

iv. Collaboration and innovation among the C&D industry stakeholders, such as contractors, recyclers, haulers, and regulators(CascadiaConsultingGroup,2017).

Proposed Action

A case study on the Reuse Warehouse in Houston, Texas will provide a model for the proposed project for the City of Austinandaimstoenhanceclarityforfutureproceduresandwastereductionpotentials.IntheCityofHouston,anaverage of650,000tonsofmunicipalwasteisproducedannually(Koski,2017).Constructionanddemolitionwasteaccountsfor38 percentofthetotal Houston area waste stream(c40.org,2016). This waste includesmaterialscomingfrom construction projects, demolition projects, renovation projects, and remodeling projects. To combat this waste issue, The Reuse WarehouseopenedinHoustonTexasonApril29,2009.ThiscityprojectisfundedbyagrantfromtheHoustonGalveston AreaCouncilandtheCityofHoustonSolidWasteManagementDepartment(houstontx.gov,2019).TheReuseWarehouse isdesignedtominimizetheamountofuseableconstructionandbuildingmaterialwastethatendsupinlandfillsandputs itintothehandsofcommunitygroupsandnonprofitorganizationstouseinthecompletionoftheirbuildingprojects.

The Reuse Warehouse is located just outside of downtown Houston, north of the 610 Loop and west of Interstate 45 making it a convenient location for those all over the Greater Houston area to access. The Reuse Warehouse allows the drop-offof acceptable buildingmaterial waste attheir location ratherthan bringingthe usable material to a landfill.The donated material is accepted from anyone completing a project that produces construction or building waste, including material from individual projects, large corporations, junk removal companies, city facilities, small and large companies. The person donating the material is responsible for ensuring that the donation items are on the list of acceptable items, and ensuring that the acceptable items are in suitable, usable condition. The Reuse Warehouse does not offer a pick-up serviceformaterials.Theydoprovidesomeunloadingassistanceandaforkliftupondeliveryofdonationsifnecessary.

TheReuseWarehouseprovidesalistofacceptablematerialwithrestrictionsonsomeofthecategoriestoensurethatthe materialcanbeeasilyreusedandpreventsthemfrombeingalargeamountofmaterialtakingupspaceonthepropertyin which the collection is being avoided due to the condition. The materials that are accepted by the Reuse Warehouse includes a wide range of building materials such as; lumber, trim, plywood, drywall, sheetrock, insulation, rigid foam, stairwell railing, moldings, siding, hardware, bricks, caulking, roof shingles, cement, pipes, plumbing supplies, stairways, fencing, fireplace screens, tools, gutters, shelving, fasteners, windows, doors, bathrooms, kitchens, flooring, electrical materials,wallcoveringsandalsonon-upholsteredfurnitureorfurniturethatmightbemissinghardwareordrawersthat couldberepurposed(houstontx.gov,2019).Inthecasethatwoodisbeingdelivered,itisaskedthatanynailsberemoved fromthewoodpriortodrop-off.ThelistofitemsthatarenotacceptedbytheReuseWarehouseincludespaint,appliances, used carpets, loose glass, batteries, hazardous materials, asbestos-containing materials, oil tanks, fluorescent light bulbs, toxic or flammable products, chemicals of any kind or containers that once held chemicals, thermostats containing mercury,orelectricbaseboardheaters(houstontx.gov,2019).

The Reuse Warehouse does not sell or give building material to the general public. There are recycling locations in and around the Houston area that serve the general public, which are listed on their website and the locations of which are shownonamaplink.TheReuseWarehousestoresthebuildingmaterialthatiscollectedbythedonationdrop-offsforthe purposeofallowingcommunitygroupsandnon-profitorganizationstotakethesuppliesthatareneededtocompletetheir projects at no cost. Community groups and non-profit organizations wanting to collect building materials from the HoustonReuseWarehousearerequiredtoprovidetheproperdocumentationasproofoftheirstatus.Thisdocumentation can include the organization’s tax-exempt form or an IRS letter (houstontx.gov, 2019). The Reuse Warehouse stores this documentationtoallowanymemberoftheorganizationtocollectthematerialsthatareneeded.Thecollectionofmaterial isaself-serviceprocedureandwhoeveriscollectingthebuildingmaterialsneedstoarrivepreparedwithextraassistance formovingandloadingcumbersomeloadamounts.

The Reuse Warehouse does not limit the amount of building materials an organization is allowed to take (Koski, 2017). Theorganizationcantaketheamountofmaterialneededtocompletetheirprojects.Oncethematerialiscollectedbythe organization, the material is logged accordingtothematerial category and weighed todocument the amountof material thatisbeingusedanddivertedfromlandfills.TheReuseWarehouserequestsphotographsoftheorganization’scompleted project to document how the materials that were collected aided in serving the community. Those collecting materials from the Reuse Warehouse includes churches, schools, affordable housing, homeless shelters, transitional housing, charitable home repairs, community development corporations and centers, veterans, job skills training, medical foundations,physical therapy,museums,theaters,cultural institutions,artists,animal shelters,historic preservation,and community gardens (codegreenhouston.org). Some of the projects that have been completed by using material collected fromtheReuseWarehouseincludescommunityandyouthgardens,alocalchurchadditionconstructionprojects,donated woodshelvingfromalocallibraryconvertedtokitchencounterspaceinatransitionalhousingproject,stagesetsforthe cityballettheaterandmanyothercommunityprojects.

WithanannualproductionofconstructionanddemolitionwasteintheHoustonareatotalingaround247,000tons(Koski, 2017), the Houston Reuse Warehouse is working to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. With monthly fluctuationsofmaterialsdonatedtotheReuseWarehouse,theaveragemonthlydonationtotalsarearound43tons(Koski, 2017).InMayof2017,theamountofdonationscollectedtotaled40,979pounds,around20.5tonsofmaterial(Koski).Of thematerialdonatedinMayof2017,33percentwasusablewood,22percentmasonry(brickandstone)materialand16 percentwasconcrete(Koski,2017).TheremainderofthematerialdonatedinMay2017includedanassortmentofglass, plastic,ceramic,metal,cardboard,doors,andceramic(Koski,2017).Theamountofdonations,materialsbroughtinfrom building or demolition projects, is nearly equal to the amount of collections, the materials being taken and used by communitygroupsandnonprofitorganizations(Koski,2017).Onaverage,90percentofallmaterialbroughtiniscollected and used in different community projects (Koski, 2017). This indicates that most of the material brought into the Reuse

Warehouse is being put to beneficial use and not creating substantial amounts of unused material that will require extensivestoragespace.

The Reuse Warehouse in Houston has created a space where anyone can bring acceptable building material waste to be stored at no fee to the donator. This creates an incentive to utilize this warehouse as opposed to using landfills. The Houston Reuse Warehouse is keeping waste out of landfills, while also serving the community by providing the building materialsneededtocompletecommunityprojects.

To work towards the City of Austin’s zero waste goals, the city could benefit from a similar center as the Houston Reuse Warehouse. Using the Houston Reuse Warehouse as a model with a focus on utilizing existing facilities in Austin, an expansionoftheAustinRecycle&ReuseDropOffCenter’s(Austincenter)proceduresandacceptedmaterialsisproposed. TheAustincenterislocatedbetweentheSouthCongressandSoutheastAustinarea,neartheintersectionofhighwaysI-35 and 71. The Household Hazardous Waste Facility and the Resource Recovery Center have consolidated into what is now theRecycle&ReuseDrop-offCenter(AustinTexas.Gov,2019).ItisrunbythecityofAustin,makingitaprimecandidate, andiscurrentlydoingsimilarworkastheHoustoncenterwithoneimportantexemption,C&Dwaste.

ItisfreeforanyonetodropoffitemsattheAustincenter,rangingfromamultitudeofcategories,though therearesome guidelines for acceptable materials. It is free to drop off household hazardous waste, such as cleaning products and batteries,electronics,andappliances,suchastelevisionsandcomputers,single-streamrecyclables,suchascardboardand paper,brushandyardtrimmings,clothingandhousewares,andtiresforafee(AustinTexas.Gov,2019).

Located in the adjacent lot as the drop off center, the Reuse Store makes available all the various materials that are dropped off in usable condition free to the public to pick up. While naturally the availability of items in the Reuse store variesbywhatisdroppedoff,typicallyartsupplies,cleaningproducts,householdchemicals,automotivefluids,paint,and mulcharefound(AustinTexas.Gov,2019).WhiletheAustincenterisbenefitingthecommunitybydivertingthesetypesof wasteproductsfromthelandfill,promotingthe recyclingandreuseofmaterialsisespeciallyimportantwithC&Dwaste. TheincorporationofC&DwastematerialsattheAustinRecycle&ReuseDropOffCenteristhefoundationofthisproposal.

Modeled after the Houston Reuse store, guidelines on what constitutes acceptable C&D waste allowed to be dropped off, andrestrictionsonwhocanpickupthesematerialsaretobeimplemented.Withconsiderationtothesizeofthelotsand thetwo warehousesatthe Austincenter,itisproposed thatC&Dwastedropoffis allowedforindividual-householdand other small business level construction, renovation, and demolition materials. Materials are to have already been sorted and ensured they are in acceptable condition per the same requirements as the Houston Warehouse (see above for a completelistofrequirements).Alistofacceptablematerialsandacceptableconditionofthematerialsaretobeaddedto theRecycle&ReuseDropOffCenter’ssectionoftheCityofAustin’swebsite.

UniquetotheHoustonWarehousearethespecificationsforwhocanpickupC&Dmaterialsforreuse.Withnorestriction ontheamountofmaterialthatcanbecollected,butratherwhoisallowedtopickup,theAustincenterwillallowonlynonprofitsandcommunityorganizationstopickupC&Dwastematerials.WhiletherearelocationsinAustinthatservicethe generalpublicforreuseandrecyclingofbuildingmaterials,suchastheAustinHabitatforHumanityReStore,pickingupof C&D materials at the Austin center would not be available to the general public. With the implementation of small-scale dropoffandpickupdesignatedtospecifiedentities,itishopefulthatthismethodofreusingmaterialswillbebeneficial to schools,churches,shelters(etc.)intheAustincommunity.

It is anticipated that the benefits of the proposed project will be like those of the Houston Reuse store. The documented successoftheHoustonReuseWarehouseasamodelforcommunityengagement,thelow-costandfeasibilityofexpanding anexistingfacility’sprocedures,andthepotentialwastetobedivertedfromthelandfillmakeimplementingC&Dwastein to the drop off and specified pick up at the Austin Recycle & Reuse Drop Off Center a promising venture for achieving Austin’szerowasteobjectives.

If the proposed proves successful, or to increase success, there is potential for partnership with companies with likeminded goals,suchasAbsoluteDemolition.Absolute Demolition services the publicand privatesectors by recyclingand reusingbuildingmaterials,fromrepurposingdoorsandlightstositepadandroadbasematerial(TheBluebookBuilding& Construction Network, 2019). According to their website, they have reused or recycled over 50% of materials removed from demolition sites (The Bluebook Building & Construction Network, 2019). Partnering with a company that is headquartered in Austin, but services Dallas and San Antonio metro areas, can potentially increase the breadth of materialsabletoberepurposedforAustinnonprofitsandcommunityorganizations.

Toincreaseawarenesstoindividualhouseholdandsmall-scalebusinessprojectsofanewavenuetoreducetheirwaste,as well as to local organizations and nonprofits of materials that could be of use for their projects, Austin Materials Marketplacecanbeusedformarketingpurposes.AustinMaterialsMarketplaceisacommunitydrivenonlineplatformfor businessesandorganizationstocreateanetworkforlocalrecycleandreuseopportunities(AustinMaterialsMarketplace, 2019). This popular, easy to navigate website could provide information on what is currently available to a community organizerornonprofitemployeeseekingmaterialsfromtheAustincenterandmayalsoincreasethefrequencyofpickup. Infuture,itisrecommendedthataclearpathisforgedwiththeemployeesattheAustinRecycle&ReuseDropOffCenter. Communications about how the incorporation of C&D waste at their facility will be paid for is crucial. Combining C&D waste with an existing tax they may already have in place, or adding these materials into their grant funding could be possible.Monetarydiscussionshavenotyetbeenreviewedandmaybeconsideredforfutureresearchintothisendeavor.

It seems clear that much can be accomplished to reduce waste entering the landfill, with little upfront investment, by simplyimprovingonacurrentAustincityprogramandleveragingontheirinfrastructure.C&Dwasteisanimportanttype ofphysicalwastetobeaccountedforwhenworkingtowardsreducingacity’swasteandincreasingtherecyclingandreuse of materials. Collaborative efforts amongst city programs, nonprofits, company partnerships, and community organizationscanbeeffectiveinadvancingsustainabilityinitiativesandworkingtowardszerowastemanagementgoalsin Austin,Texas.

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