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Discover Resources to Waste Less

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Recycling and Composting

Discover useful tips and resources for recycling and composting at home:

Deconstruction

The EPA estimated that around  opens in a new window600 million tons of construction and demolition materials were thrown away in the U.S. in 2018. These discarded materials come from building demolitions and renovations and their total weight is  opens in a new windowmore than double that of all other yearly U.S. municipal solid waste. A great way to divert this waste from landfills and give salvageable materials a second life is through deconstruction.

Deconstruction is the process of taking a building apart, piece by piece, and salvaging appliances and materials instead of demolishing it. Up to  opens in a new window70% of materials can be recycledopens PDF file , and up to  opens in a new window25% of materials can be reusedopens PDF file  in a home deconstruction. This can be done in two ways: a soft strip or a full deconstruction.

Benefits of Deconstruction:

Deconstruction is a cost competitive alternative to conventional building demolition. By reusing building materials, many environmental and social benefits can be realized, including: 

  • Reducing the consumption of new resources
  • Creating value-added market from waste materials
  • Minimizing landfill waste and pollution
  • Expanding job opportunities and workforce development skills

Helpful Resources:

Spread the word about deconstruction! Share these graphics to your social media pages.

Deconstruction Graphic 1
Deconstruction Graphic 2

Hazardous & Universal Waste

Hazardous waste is waste that is dangerous or potentially harmful to our health or the environment. Hazardous wastes can be liquids, solids, gases, or sludges. They can be discarded commercial products, like cleaning fluids or pesticides, or the by-products of manufacturing processes. Dispose of hazardous waste properly.

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EcoBuilding Bargains

opens in a new windowEcoBuilding Bargains is the largest used building materials store in New England, offering incredible deals on reused and surplus materials! EcoBuilding Bargains is an enterprise of the Center for EcoTechnology.

CONTACT US about EcoBuilding Bargains
Call: (413) 788-6900opens phone dialer   Email:  ecobuildingbargains@cetonline.org