Seattle Seeks to Boost C&D Recycling with New Requirements

(NOTE: AGC Education Foundation is hosting a Stakeholders’ Forum on Sept. 29. At the forum Seattle Public Utilities will present the proposed construction and demolition recycling requirements and receive feedback. For more information and registration click Seattle’s Solid Waste Plan Forum.)

Seattle Public Utilities plans to boost construction and demolition recycling from the 61 percent current level to 70 percent by 2020 through a suite of new programs and requirements.

SPU says the new programs mainly bump up recycling requirements on materials that already or will soon have secure end markets. Some of these materials are already banned from garbage disposal if they come from public works construction projects. Others like metal and cardboard are banned from City commercial and residential garbage containers.

Among the specific elements of the proposal are:

Ban carpet from disposal in the garbage by 2013 when a carpet take-back program will be in place.
Ban recyclable metal and cardboard from C&D sites from disposal by 2012.
Ban asphalt brick and concrete paving from disposal by 2012.
Ban clean wood clean gypsum and plastic film from disposal by 2013.
Ban tear-off asphalt shingles from disposal 2014.

Click SPU’s recycling proposal for more information – the Construction and Demolition requirements are found in Chapter 5 Other Solid Waste Programs. To sign up for the Stakeholders’ Forum hosted by AGC Education Foundation click here.