Construction and Demolition Materials
Construction and demolition (C&D) materials consist of the debris generated during the construction, renovation, and demolition of buildings, roads, and bridges. C&D materials often contain bulky, heavy materials, such as concrete, wood, metals, glass, and salvaged building components.
Reducing and recycling C&D materials conserves landfill space, reduces the environmental impact of producing new materials, creates jobs, and can reduce overall building project expenses through avoided purchase/disposal costs. Changing how we think about these materials will create a more sustainable future.
By identifying C&D materials as commodities that can be utilized in new building projects, thus avoiding the need to mine virgin materials, the effort to reduce and recycle C & D materials effectively employs EPA's Sustainable Materials Management approach.