Demolition can result in rediscovering resources
The cranes are plentiful and the trucks are full. But think about any inner city building development. For something to be built, usually means a structure has to come down or be dug up. Where does all this stuff go? Trucks rolling out full of rubble and sand and mixed with metal and bricks that can either be recycled or landfilled.
Factors such as:- available and close recycling facilities, to separate the materials for recyclers or not, access for trucks to the site and ultimately- cost, determine how materials are dealt with. The stuff is heavy and the decisions are not light.
A major factor in the construction and demolition (C & D) world in Western Australia is the dramatic increase in the ‘landfill levy’ for landfills taking these materials as of January 2015. The levy is effectively a cost put on by the State Government on top of the landfill gate fee and paid straight to the State.
Recycled materials are not subject to the levy, now making this a highly desirable option. But can facilities cope with the dramatic increase in trucks coming through the gate? C & D companies will now be actively seeking out alternatives to landfilling.
At the site where the materials are generated, they can be either separated on site or put in a skip to be dealt with at the destination. Source separation means more space is needed to accommodate the bin receptacles and a willing attitude by workers on site to actually do it!
With the amount of road works and construction in Perth currently, the market for recycled materials is strong. However, if all local governments were required to use recycled materials in road building (if available as a first option) all the demolition materials fitting specifications could be utilized. While virgin materials remain cheap, it is still a battle for acceptance in this area.
For Spud at Diggers and Truckers click here giving a quote for a demolition job can be a move into uncertain waters. The house, the swimming pool and the shed may all be obvious in construction, but the hidden asbestos under the house or buried in the backyard – and the huge tree stump concealed by dirt – are unknown until the job begins. And what about the customer who left the house filled with furniture, food scraps, rubbish, and mattresses and assumed this disposal was ‘part of the quote’.
The first task in demolition is at least 2 days of salvage for door frames, floor boards, mantle pieces etc, for either on selling to a restorer – or in Spud’s case, into the Digger’ salvage shop. Floorboards still have a market but often other second-hand materials are only useful to the handy person and the die-hard restorers with lots of cash or time. Builders who use nail guns find the dry jarrah too hard for the gun and labour costs become exorbitant. Some timber is dressed to add value.
Demolition will now be further refined to separate as much material as possible before choosing a landfill destination.
When destruction begins, Diggers bring in a large truck to take separated sand and rubble for recycling. Another truck may go further away to Kwinana for separation at the destination. With so many options, all decisions need to be made with considerations to the travel distance, gate fee, truck fuel, staff time and more: all coming back to cost.
While much of the material is recyclable (sand, wood, metal etc), this will only happen if there is a market at the end. The big roof timbers from a weatherboard house can be onsold at Diggers and Truckers to pool builders, for use as supports and footings for the concrete in underground swimming pools. And often it will still be sound 30 years later when the pool is demolished!
But the brickwork and mainstay timbers may not be worth cleaning up for sale. A landfill levy increase will only be truly effective if we can follow through with an economic use for the stuff at the end.
Read more about this issue in my blog.
