Demolition companies are in the business of tearing down buildings and gutting structures. Demolition companies are in the business of controlled, creative destruction. When you think of demolition companies you really don’t think environmentally friendly, or rescuers of small woodland creatures, or ardent recyclers. But demolition companies are all of these things. Okay, maybe not the small woodland creatures part.
Demolition companies, both commercial and residential, must abide by OSHA safety rules and EPA guidelines governing environmentally safe deconstruction techniques. Both OSHA and the EPA have strict rules about how demolition companies handle certain hazardous substances.
These hazardous substances can include:
- Lead Paint
- Wood dust contain formaldehyde
- Synthetic mineral fibers
- Asbestos
These products aren’t used in modern, environmentally safe construction but since demolition companies deal mostly with retrofitting or demolishing older buildings contact with these older building products is common. Most demolition companies are very familiar with procedures for containing and properly disposing of hazardous materials like asbestos and lead paint.
Demolition companies not only specialize in properly disposing of environmentally hazardous, demolition companies also recycle a lot of construction materials. In fact, given the high cost of demolition it is worth it to most demolition companies to recycle as much as they can, even if that means hiring extra labor to do it.
What construction materials do demolition companies recycle?
Steel — given the right equipment and the proper level of expertise, steel and scrap metal can be removed from a structure and recycled into new products.
Concrete — a give demolition job can yield tons and tons of concrete; this concrete is crushed into gravel and reused in many many types of construction projects.
Sink and Toilets — if bathroom fixtures are in good condition demolition companies can often resell these fixtures to companies that refurbish and resell classic bathroom fixtures.
So when you think of demolition companies, think green, because demolitions companies are focused on the environment too!
March 03/14/2013
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