Characterization & Management of Construction, Renovation & Demolition
Waste in Canada
2014 Recycling Council of Alberta Conference Lake Louise, Alberta 1-3 October 2014
Co-presented by:
Guy Perry
Michael VanderPol Waste Reduction & Management Division
Presentation Overview
• Rationale for Engagement • Study Objectives • Research Team • Scope & Definitions • Methodology & Limitations • Preliminary Findings • Next Steps
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Rationale for Engagement on CRD waste
• Sizeable portion of solid waste in Canada (~16% or 4 million tonnes/year)
• Some is recycled but most is disposed (mainly at landfills)
• Environment Canada is examining links to certain substances of interest:
– Canadian Environmental Protection Act, Schedule 1 toxic substances
– Substances under the Government of Canada’s Chemicals Management Plan
– Chemicals of Interest to the International Community (e.g. UN Basel Convention)
• Some of these substances could present risks if improperly managed
• CCME also recently committed to work on CRD waste diversion
• Need to gather & consolidate knowledge
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Study Objectives
1. To estimate how much CRD waste is generated, recycled & disposed in Canada & from which sources
2. To confirm the presence of certain substances of interest in CRD waste & their potential release pathways to the environment
3. To identify current approaches and best practices for managing CRD waste in Canada & elsewhere
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Research Team
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Maria Kelleher Principal
Guy Perry Principal
Christina Seidel Principal
Janet Robins Principal
Dr. Brajesh Dubey Assistant Professor School of Engineering
Dr. Mark Gorgolewski Professor Dept. of Architectural Science
Samantha Millette Consultant
Study Scope & Definitions
• Use current available information to characterize & describe the management of CRD waste
• Examine both residential & non-‐residential sources
• Consider all waste materials from which CRD waste is composed (excluding waste from land clearing operations, e.g. stumps, brush & soil)
• Define CRD waste broadly, unrestricted by legal interpretations (e.g. for hazardous waste, special waste or non-‐hazardous waste)
– Construction waste: derived from building new structures
– Renovation waste: derived from improvements & repairs to existing structures
– Demolition waste: derived from demolishing existing structures
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Methodology: Characterization of CRD Waste
• Used publically available reports & studies
Start with: Quantities CRD Waste Generated, Recycled & Disposed by Province
Statistics Canada Waste Management Industry Survey 2010
Allocate to: Residential vs. Non-residential – building permits
Allocate to: Construction, Renovation, Demolition – composition studies
Allocate to: Composition – selected materials – composition studies
• Results represent a snapshot in time 7
Total Quantities of CRD Waste Estimated CRD waste generated in Canada: 4,007,000 tonnes
Excludes: • waste from large civil engineering & infrastructure projects • material managed on-‐site • material shipped directly from project sites to processing or disposal
outside of Canada
Generated: 117.8 kg/capita
Diverted: 19.2 kg/capita
Disposed: 98.6 kg/cap
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Residential vs Non-residential CRD Waste
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Estimated CRD Waste Generation in Canada
Estimated CRD Waste Diversion & Disposal in Canada
Construction, Renovation & Demolition Waste
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Estimated CRD Waste Generation in Canada
Residential Non-residential
Construction 15% 5% Renovation 57% 32% Demolition 28% 63%
Composition of CRD Waste
Key CRD Waste Materials Disposed
*
* Other includes a wide range of materials each representing a small proportion 11
Methodology: Links to Substances of Interest
• List of 240 substances of interest (SoI) selected by Environment Canada
– E.g. substances used for flame retardants, preservatives, plasticizers, pigments
– Various chemical groupings – e.g. phthalates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, metals & related compounds…
• Consulted publically available reports & studies to identify whether present in CRD waste materials
– Environment & Health Canada Risk Assessments currently available
– CRD waste leachate studies
– Academic reports
– Internet search – Hazardous materials databases
• Identified physical & chemical properties as indicators of potential pathways to exposure for those SoI present in CRD waste 12
Preliminary Findings: Links to Substances of Interest
Presence of SoI in CRD waste identified in four categories:
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Confirmed present in one or more CRD waste materials 42
Likely present in one or more CRD waste materials 32
Unlikely present in CRD waste 20
Insufficient information to identify presence or confirm absence 104
Categorization in progress 42
Preliminary Findings: Uses of SoI Confirmed or likely uses include:
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Uses Building Materials Sample Chemical/Group
solvents & thinners wood preservatives, paints & coatings & insulation foams
formaldehyde, naphthalene (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons)
plasticizers & dispersants
vinyl & rubber materials, piping, cable housing, concrete, wallboard
phthalates
anti-corrosive coatings chromates
Flame retardants textiles, adhesives, coatings, plastic resin & building materials
organic & halogenated FR, boron, asbestos
fungicides & pesticides wood, adhesives, caulking CCA, ACA, AZQ, creosote, pentachlorophenol, boric acid,
waterproofing phthalates
pigments & colouring textiles, paint & coatings, plastics cobalt salts, chromates, lead cadmium, azo-dyes (maybe)
decolouring glass, ceramics selenium acids
soldering flux boron sodium oxide
curing & drying agents paints, adhesives, caulking phthalates, cobalt salts
electric insulator & coolant
PCB 14
Preliminary Findings: CRD Waste Management
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CRD Waste Processing
Facility
Outside Canada
Canada
CRD Project Site
CRD Waste or Municipal Landfill or
EFW Facility
Waste Transfer Operation
Mixed CRD Waste Loads Direct to Disposal Facility
CRD Waste Material
Recycling Markets
CRD Waste Processing Residuals
Captured in estimated quantities
Not captured in estimated quantities
Infrastructure for CRD Waste
• Most CRD Waste in Canada is Landfilled – Conventional MSW landfills – reused where possible for road
construction and cell cover – Specially designated “dry” landfills for CRD waste
• Minimal incineration -‐ only small amounts at 4 EFW facilities • CRD recycling companies exist in most large urban centres across
Canada – Single material processors (primarily for wood, drywall, concrete,
asphalt/shingles) – Specialized CRD facilities for 2-‐4 materials -‐ source separated loads – Facilities which process all CRD waste materials – receive mixed or
source separated loads (with lower tip fee for separated loads)
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Location of Key CRD Waste Processing Facilities
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Mixed CRD waste
Drywall waste Asphalt shingles
Wood waste
CRD waste aggregates
CRD Waste Sorting Approaches
• Mechanical and manual sorting for recycling
• Facilities typically employ some combination of: – Tipping & loading areas – Conveyor belts & manual sorting
lines – Ferrous magnet – Grinders & screens
• Some trying optical sorting
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Uses for CRD Waste Materials
End markets for processed CRD materials include:
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CRD Waste Material Key Markets
Concrete Aggregate base Erosion control
Asphalt Recycled-‐content asphalt mix
Asphalt shingles New shingles Recycled-‐content pavement mix & repair Fuel
Gypsum Recycled-‐content wallboard Soil amendment
Wood (clean)
Fuel Mulches Animal bedding Recycled-‐content wood furniture
Supporting CRD Waste Diversion
• Drivers for effective CRD waste recycling are :
– Local landfill bans on specific materials (e.g. wood, drywall)
– High landfill tipping fees relative to CRD waste recycling
– Purchasing specifications which require recycling/reuse targets, and
– LEED or other green building certification which provides incentives to reach high recycling targets
• Level of CRD recycling varies across Canada depending on local circumstances, for example:
– Ontario – very low tipping fees in US & CRD processors currently struggling
– Nova Scotia – policies supportive of CRD waste recycling in place & planned
– Alberta & BC – combination of drivers for CRD waste recycling
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Next Steps for Environment Canada
• Complete Study by March 2015
• Undertake further work to understand & examine potential issues
• Assess potential risks posed by CRD waste & take action where necessary
• Work with provinces & territories on related activities through the CCME
– Waste Management Task Group
– CRD Waste Project Team (Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Environment Canada)
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Thank you
Guy Perry [email protected] www.guyperry.ca
Michael VanderPol Waste Reduction & Management Division [email protected] www.ec.gc.ca
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