Characterization and potential recycling of home building wood waste
Construction waste represents a significant portion of landfill waste, estimated as 17% of the total waste stream. Wood construction waste of a 2000 square foot single family home we found to be 1500-3700 lbs of solid-sawn wood, and 1000-1800 lbs of engineered wood products (EWP). Much of the solid-sawn lumber and EWPs could be recycled into several products. Through a partnership with an EarthCraft House (A “Green” housing system) certified builder, the authors have determined the wood construction waste generated for recently built houses at a new green housing development. The purpose of this study is to quantify the construction waste and explore options for the reuse or recycling of these wood products. The EarthCraft House certification system rewards these activities and discourages landfilling. Wood products studied included solid-sawn lumber, oriented strand board, particleboard, LVL, and preservative treated wood. We will present the results from 6 houses including solid and grinding recycling options. We will mention some other national certification systems such as LEED for Homes and the NHBA system.