Not all construction and demolition waste needs to end up in a landfill. In fact, much of that material can be recycled and even reused. With thoughtful consideration, developing a plan for how each material can be managed prior to the start of a project will help to ensure materials are handled in the most sustainable way. Therefore, new requirements for both the 2012 Seattle Building and Residential Codes ask that a Waste Diversion Plan is submitted with your application for all projects greater than 750 square feet. The plan should identify assumed waste materials, the hauler, and the receiving location for each material.
Although recycling is a common form of diversion, consider salvaging trim, lighting fixtures, or lumber for use in other projects. To help support the broader consideration for reuse, the codes now also require a Deconstruction and Salvage assessment to be completed for projects greater than 750 square feet that have a demolition component. The assessment helps the user assess which materials being removed from a project are potentially salvageable.
The Waste Diversion Plan and Deconstruction Salvage Assessment can be found on DPD’s web site: http://seattle.gov/dpd/permits/forms/default.htm
For more information, please contact:
Kathleen Petrie
(206) 615-0541
kathleen.petrie@seattle.gov