Construction, Renovation and Demolition Waste Management Services

Did you know… According to Statistics Canada, construction, renovation and demolition (CR&D) waste accounts for about 12% of all solid waste generated in Canada, most of which is currently disposed (CCME report, 2016)

Minimum Sustainable Recommendations

Within Construction Tender Documents and under instructions to Bidders, the requirements for waste management and disposal throughout the span of the contract are specified. It is within the contract that the responsibilities and specifications for waste diversion are defined.  The following specifications support proper material management in keeping with The Manitoba Green Building Program and other building certification programs.

• Within 30 days of receipt of notice to proceed and prior to the generation of any waste, the contractor must prepare and submit a draft Construction Waste Management Plan and schedule to maximize the diversion of CR&D waste materials from the landfill.  The plan must:
  • Take into consideration the Manitoba Green Building Policy (Construction, Renovation and Demolition Waste Management Guideline) and green building principles by diverting from the landfill to the maximum extent practicable by salvage, reuse, recycle or donation of construction, renovation and demolition (CR&D) waste materials. 
  • Include a review of the local CR&D waste material markets to support the Waste Management Plan. 
    • These materials may include wood, concrete, steel and other metals, drywall, asphalt, roofing, plumbing, electrical fixtures, bricks, window glass, carpet etc. 
  • Generate an estimated End-of-Project rate for salvage/recycling as a percent by weight of total construction and demolition waste as per the Manitoba Green Building Policy.
  • Provide procedures for the diversion of CR&D from landfill disposal. 
• The contractor must provide monthly written Waste Reduction Progress Reports.  Failure to submit the information shall render applications for payment incomplete.   The reports must include documentation of recovery rate (if commingled), waste hauling certificates or receipts, and a brief narrative explaining how and to where each waste type has been diverted.  For each material category, the following information must be provided: 

1. Generation point of waste material
2. Total quantity of waste in metric tons
3. Quantity of waste salvaged, both estimated and actual in metric tons
4. Quantity of waste recycled, both estimated and actual in metric tons
5. Total quantity of waste recovered (salvaged plus recycled) in metric tons
6. Total quantity of waste placed in landfill in metric tons
7. Total quantity of waste recovered (salvaged plus recycled) as a percentage of total waste
8. Include up-to-date records of donations, sales, recycling and landfill manifests, weight tickets, hauling receipts, and invoices.

• Prepare and submit a final CR&D Waste Management Report.  The Report much include written calculations on end-of-project salvage rates, reuse rates, recycle rates and landfill rates itemized for all CR&D material types. 
• All vendors providing hauling services must adhere to the following:
  • Develop strategies to minimize greenhouse gas emissions such as:
    • Product delivery consolidations
    • Efficient transportation logistics
    • No idling of vehicles
    • Use of fuel efficient delivery vehicles
  • The intent of the carbon tax is to enhance fuel use efficiency and transition to a low carbon economy. Our organization requires transparency and prefers to compensate for carbon based on fuel usage for the service and the current carbon tax rate.
    • On invoices and bills, any charge attributed to the carbon tax must be presented as a separate line item.  The service provider must provide their methodology for calculating the carbon tax surcharge.
  • Both owner-drivers and sub-contractors who undertake services on behalf of the tendering company must adhere to the requirements noted above.

Other things to consider

• All waste materials must be handled in accordance with appropriate regulations and codes.
• Potentially hazardous CR&D material that may be generated must be identified before the project proceeds. All hazardous CR&D waste materials shall be separated, stored and disposed in in accordance with provincial regulations, and permit requirements. 
• Work to manage waste material (including material separation and stockpiling) must be executed with the least possible interference or disturbance to normal use of adjacent sites. 
• Disposal of any materials into waterways, storm or sanitary sewers is strictly prohibited. 

What are the issues?

Construction, renovation and demolition (CR&D) waste refers to non-hazardous waste that is generated by building projects during construction, renovation and demolition. Commonly generated materials including wood, concrete, steel, drywall, asphalt, roofing, plumbing, electrical fixtures, bricks, window glass, carpet etc.  CR&D excludes hazardous waste materials, (asbestos, paint, chemicals, thermostats etc.) that are generated and must be managed following provincial guideline, regulation and permit requirements. 

Reducing our resource consumption is considered the best way to counter the damage we are doing to the earth.  The next best strategy is to recycle as much of the waste material generated as possible. Diverting construction, renovation and demolition waste benefits all of us. The processing of used materials into new products in-order to prevent waste results in many benefits, here are a few:

• Recycling reduces our need to harvest of natural resources.
• Efforts to keep recyclable materials out of the landfill helps reduce the amount of harmful chemicals and greenhouse gases released from trash.   
• Making products from the commodities collected requires much less energy and water than if the products were made from raw, natural resources.

With an understanding of the numerous benefits associated with CR&D material diversion, the Province has outlined requirements to manage these types of wastes as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce environmental impacts through improved waste diversion.  These requirements are outlined within The Manitoba Green Building Program – Construction, Renovation and Demolition Waste Management Guidelines as well as The Manitoba Climate and Green Plan.  

Other motivators to ensure the appropriate management of CR&D waste materials include compliance requirements, building certification requirements (e.g., LEED and BOMA BESt building certifications) as well as congruency to an entity’s Corporate Responsibility program. 

What are the options?

Markets for salvaging, recycling, reusing and donating CR&D waste materials have been established and opportunities to enhance material diversion at the local level are increasing all the time.  In many instances, the cost to divert materials is less expensive than the landfill hauling and tipping fees.  For these reasons, it is prudent for the Contractor to prepare a Construction Waste Management Plan at the onset of a project and ensure all contractor and subcontractors abide by the plan and divert as much of the material as possible from the landfill. 

Last updated: May 2019