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The Harlem building on World's Greenest Homes is a showcase for the amazing transformations that can happen when your green remodel uses anything and everything you find on a building site. But, what are the eco-smart options for building materials that are really, seriously, definitely, totally, absolutely non-negotiable trash, and can’t be re-used? Sometimes, salvage has its limits, especially if you uncover outdated materials that are environmentally harmful, or if you run into stuff that you just plain can’t imagine a use for.
When it comes to disposing of old construction materials, there can be health and safety concerns, so it's smart to seek out a green solution that’s specifically geared to the particular kinds of items you’re trying to cast off. For fluorescent lamps, ballasts, thermostats, and even batteries, check out the EasyPak prepaid shipping containers. To safely recycle these mercury-loaded items with EasyPak, all you need to do is box ‘em up and ship ‘em off. Although a local recycling solution is best for your carbon footprint, since you’re dealing with stuff that contains a dangerous pollutant which needs some special attention, it’s worth looking into EasyPak if you can’t find a recycling option close to home.
Not everything can or should be given new life. Two of the biggest contenders for the "don't ever touch this building material again" award are asbestos or lead paint. To prevent hazard, anything containing these substances needs to be contained and disposed of by an experienced professional. In rare cases, asbestos-laden items can sometimes be re-used after a sacrificial coating, but unless there’s a really crucial aesthetic reason to keep it, you’ll want to get the bad stuff off your plot entirely.
If you've got non-hazardous materials on your site, but you definitely can't do anything with them yourself, seek out a materials exchange program and try to arrange an awesome swap. One person’s trash can be another person’s green treasure, so before you and your team start thinking about how to process your site’s junk for complete back-to-square-one recycling through a plant, see if someone can use your refuse as is. Offer up whatever you’ve got, even if it seems like total junk: your random spare masonry material just might find a new function crushed up as someone’s driveway bedding, while you walk away with some goodies of your own. Although some areas, like Massachusetts and New Hampshire, are trailblazing formal state-wide trading programs, there are still a lot of dead zones in the U.S. and abroad without such substantial support systems in place. However, even if you don’t find an official exchange outlet for your miscellany, there may still be an informal network of builders who swap to help cut waste and costs, so be sure to talk to any construction professionals you work with about this option.
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