What happens to the building materials we salvage?
We always use the “highest and best use” principle to make the most of each material we divert from the landfill. Then we work with local recyclers and nonprofit partners to ensure each item gets reused or recycled responsibly.
We salvage a wide variety of building materials from our deconstruction jobs. So where do all these materials go if they are not being landfilled?
Here’s a quick rundown of the materials we collect in and around Denver through our deconstruction services and how they are reused, recycled, and repurposed.
What happens to each material:
Reusable Building Materials
Cabinets, appliances, doors, heating/cooling appliances, fixtures, flagstone, decking, and other building materials in good shape can be easily donated to nonprofit organizations like Bud’s Warehouse, Resource Central Reuse Facility, or The National Center for Craftsmanship (more on these reuse partners below).
Dimensional Lumber
Dimensional lumber that is clean (that means no paint or stain) can be de-nailed and reused or recycled. Small or broken pieces with too many nails get made into mulch.
Scrap Metal
Any items that can’t be donated for reuse and are 50% or more metal can be recycled as scrap metal.
Aggregates Brick & Concrete
Materials including brick/masonry, concrete, tile, granite, and porcelain can all be recycled and combined into an aggregate and used as road base.
Hard-to-Recycle Materials
Items like toilets, mattresses, or other “hard-to recycle” materials are accepted for recycling at the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder CHaRM facility.
How material donations support our mission to create a more sustainable C&D industry in Colorado
We take pride in specializing in building material reuse and recycling and are experts in sustainable resource management and Zero Waste practices. The relationships we have with our reuse and recycling markets allow us to divert as many materials as possible from the landfill. In fact, we’ve created our own end-use market for building materials with a Reclaimed Lumber Warehouse, where we sell low-cost, locally-salvaged building materials to the public.
In addition to our own Warehouse, we often work with more than one nonprofit organization with each deconstruction project to make sure our customers are able to donate as many building materials, fixtures, and household items as possible. This supports circular economies as well as sustainable resources management, which contribute to environmental and social good.
Nonprofits we work with:
Bud’s Warehouse: A nonprofit based in Denver that picks up used household items and fixtures and resells them to the public.
ReSource Central: A nonprofit organization based in Boulder that accepts material donations and sells a wide variety of used household items, fixtures, building materials, and more.
The National Center for Craftsmanship: Based in Fort Collins, this nonprofit creates programs to foster craftsmanship, offers deconstruction services, and accepts building material donations.
How materials are donated from deconstruction sites
After customers inquire about deconstruction services, one of the first steps in the process is for a staff member to do a walk-through of the property to document and photograph any items that can be donated for reuse. After the project is completed, the client can get the material appraised and receive potential tax deductions for his/her donation. Read all about this process in our blog, How materials get appraised and donated from your deconstruction job
Deconstruction: An easy way to donate materials from your renovation or demolition job
When you choose deconstruction, you’re inherently making salvaging and recycling materials from your job a top priority. We take all the guesswork out of figuring out what can be salvaged and reused or recycled and what must be landfilled, and we guide you through all the steps needed to claim tax deductions for your donations. Contact us today to see how we can help deconstruct and salvage materials from your project!
Denver: Need deconstruction services?
Contact us today for more sustainable demolition practices that prioritize donating and recycling materials!
