Photo courtesy Crane Communications

According to Diana McQueen, parliamentary assistant to the minister of environment, diverting even 50 per cent of construction and demolition material translates into an annual reduction of 130 kg (287 lb) of landfill-headed waste per Albertan.

Construction and demolition waste makes up 23 per cent of the overall wastestream. To address this issue, Alberta is breaking ground in Canada with a new construction site waste reduction strategy. By next year, the province plans to begin recycling construction and demolition waste, eventually eliminating it from landfills.

The strategy derives from an agreement signed by the Alberta government, Canadian Home Builders' Association (CHBA)–Alberta, and Alberta Construction Association (ACA), which puts forth a timeline to develop a provincial stewardship program for waste reduction.

On implementation, this program will increase the recycling of various building materials, including:
• concrete;
• wood;
• asphalt; and
• drywall.

Supporting Alberta's 'Too Good to Waste' strategy, the new policy can potentially grow the capacity of recyclers, which is a current limitation. This province-wide approach also reduces compliance costs, as builders can learn one system for all communities in which they work.