GAUTENG DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE CONSERVATION AND
ENVIRONMENT
GAUTENG PROVINCIAL BUILDING AND
DEMOLITION WASTE GUIDELINES
MARCH 2009
1
TABLE OF CONTENT
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
DEFINITIONS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
1.2 Methodology followed in the Development of these Guidelines
2. VISION AND MISSION
2.1 Vision
2.2 Mission Statement
3. AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THESE GUIDELINES
4. WHAT IS WASTE, BUILDING & DEMILITION WASTE AND
INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT
4.1 What is waste?
4.2 What is Building and Demolition Waste?
4.3 What is Integrated Waste Management?
5. PRINCIPLES, POLICY & LEGISLATION
5.1 White Paper on Integrated Pollution and Waste Management
5.2 National Waste Management Strategy
5.3 National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998
5.4 Polokwane Declaration on Waste Management
5.5 Gauteng Integrated Waste Management Policy 2006
5.6 Gauteng Waste Minimisation Plan
6. SOURCES OF BUILDING AND DEMOLITION WASTE
7. GUIDELINE FOR THE MINIMISATION OF BUILDING AND
DEMOLITION WASTE
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Minimisation of Building and Demolition Waste through Reduction
7.2.1 Benefits of Reduction
7.3 Minimisation of Building and Demolition Waste through Deconstruction
7.3.1 Benefits of Deconstruction
7.3.2 Limiting Factors for the Deconstruction of Waste to Reduce
Building and Demolition Waste
7.4 Minimisation of Building and Demolition Waste through Reuse and Recycling
7.4.1 Benefits of the Recycling Building and Demolition Waste
7.4.2 Limiting Factors for the Reuse and Recycling Building and
Demolition Waste
7.5 Steps to Consider
7.6 The Building and Demolition Waste Minimisation Guideline Chart
7.7 Further Explanatory Notes on Recycling Options
7.7.1 Purchasing to Prevent Building and Demolition Waste
7.7.2 Planning Departments
7.7.3 The Use of Longer Lasting Materials and Cost Implications
7.7.4 Timber and Wood
7.7.5 Asphalt
7.7.6 Bricks
7.7.7 Concrete
7.7.8 Metals (Ferrous and Non-ferrous)
7.7.9 Glass
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24
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7.7.10 Paper and Cardboard
7.7.11 Plastics
7.7.12 Drywalling
7.7.13 Building Disassembly
7.8 General Principles
8. REFERENCES
9. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 4-1: Waste Hierarchy inherent to Integrated Waste Management
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 8-1: Steps to be taken in the Minimisation of Building and Demolition Waste
Table 8-2: The Building and Demolition Waste Minimisation Chart
Table 8-3: Potential Uses of Building – Related Recycled Materials
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34
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APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1
ADDITIONAL BUILDING AND DEMOLITION WASTE STREAM DEFINITIONS CONTAINED IN
LOCAL AUTHORITY BYLAWS
APPENDIX 2
REGULATIONS UNDER SECTION 24(5) OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL
MANAGEMENT ACT 107 OF 1998: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REGULATIONS
& IDENTIFICATION OF ACTIVITIES AND COMPETENT AUTHORITIES UNDER SECTION 24
OF THE ACT
3
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
B&D
CFL
CIPR
CoJ
COLTO
CSIR
DEAT
DWAF
ECA
EMP
EPS
GDACE
GGBFS
GPG
HDPE
IP&WM
IWM
LDPE
NEMA
NWMS
PET
PP
PPVC
RAP
RBP
SoER
UPVC
Building and Demolition
Compact Fluorescent Lamp
Cold In-place Recycling
City of Johannesburg
Committee of Land and Transport Officials
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Environment Conservation Act 73 of 1989
Environmental Management Plan
Expanded Polystyrene
Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment
Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag
Gauteng Provincial Government
High Density Polyethylene
Integrated Pollution and Waste Management
Integrated Waste Management
Low Density Polyethylene
National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998
National Waste Management Strategy
Polyethylene Terephthalate
Polypropylene
Plasticised Polyvinyl Chloride
Recycled Asphalt Pavements
Reclaimed Bituminous Pavement
State of the Environment Report
Unplasticised Polyvinyl Chloride
4
DEFINITIONS
Asphalt
A black tarlike substance used in road-surfacing and roofing
material
Building
and The excess material produced during construction, renovation,
alteration, repair or demolition of buildings and structures.
Demolition Waste
This waste excludes hazardous waste, produced during the
construction, alteration, demolition and repair of any structure,
and includes rubble, earth, rock and wood displaced during that
construction, alteration, repair or demolition.
Deconstruction
The careful harvesting or removal of building materials from a
structure in the reverse order in which it was constructed as
material salvage for reuse.
General Waste
‘‘general waste’’ means waste that does not pose an immediate
hazard or threat to health or to the environment, and includes (a) domestic waste;
(b) building and demolition waste;
(c) business waste; and
(d) inert waste; (Waste Management Bill , 2008)
Hazardous Waste
Means any waste that contains organic or inorganic elements of
compounds that may, owing to the inherent physical, chemical or
toxicological characteristics of that waste, have a detrimental
impact on health and the environment; (Waste Management Bill ,
2008)
Landfill
site
/ Means any site or premise used for the accumulation of waste
Waste
Disposal with the purpose of disposing of that waste at that site or on that
Facility
premise; (Waste Management Bill , 2008)
Minimisation
Recycle
A process where waste is reclaimed for further use, and includes
the separation of waste from a waste stream for further use and
the processing of that separated material as a product or raw
material.
Reuse
To utilize articles from the waste stream again for a similar or
different purpose without changing the form or properties of the
articles.
Waste
Means any substance, whether or not that substance can be
reduced, re-used, recycled and recovered (a)
that is surplus, unwanted, rejected, discarded,
abandoned or disposed of;
(b)
where the generator has no further use of for the
purposes of production,
(c)
reprocessing or consumption;
5
(d)
that must be treated or disposed of; or
(e)
that is identified as a waste by the Minister,
but - (i) a by-product is not considered waste; and
Waste Avoidance
(ii) any portion of waste, once re-used, recycled and recovered,
ceases to be waste; (Waste Management Bill, 2008)
The prevention and avoidance of the production of waste.
Waste Disposal
The environmentally safe and legal deposit or placing of waste
onto land.
Waste
Minimisation
The reduction of the quantity, (e.g. volume and or mass) of waste
generated and disposed.
Waste Recycling
A process where waste is reclaimed for further use, and includes
the separation of a waste from a waste stream for further use and
the processing of that separated material as a product or a raw
material.
Means reducing, removing and keeping materials out of a waste
stream so that the amount of waste needing disposal is reduced
and the amount of waste reused or recycled is increased.
Means to utilise articles from the waste stream again for a similar
or different purpose without changing the form or properties of
the article
The total flow of waste falling under a particular waste category
from activity areas, businesses units, and operations that is
recovered, recycled, reused, or disposed of in landfills e.g.
domestic waste, hydrocarbon waste, etc. (GDACE, 2006)
Waste Reduction
Waste Re-use ,
Waste Stream
Waste Treatment
This is designed to minimise the impact of waste on the
environment and is done prior to further use or disposal of the
waste.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The aim of these guidelines is to provide waste minimisation options as well as alternative
uses for building and demolition waste. The Guideline Document has been developed to:
a) Assist in the identification of the component of the building and demolition waste
stream subject to the minimisation initiative to be undertaken,
b) Guide the user in the selection of an appropriate building and demolition waste
minimisation option,
c) Assist in making a conscious selection of the appropriate intervention stage in the
life-cycle of a property/structure (i.e. design, construction, maintenance and
demolition),
d) Assist in the identification of potential cost implications and the level of technology
intervention required, and
e) Inform the user of generally accepted waste management principles that can be
applied to building and demolition waste.
The 2004 Gauteng Provincial State of the Environment Report identified building and
demolition waste as contributing up to 25% towards the rapid loss of air space within the
Gauteng Province’s landfill sites. Consequently, the Gauteng Provincial Government,
through the Department of Agriculture Conservation and Environment initiated a General
Waste Minimisation Plan (GWMP) for the province. The GWMP identified in its report,
entitled “General Waste Minimisation Plan Status Quo Report” that on average, 20 % of
builders and in the Gauteng province was due to building and demolition waste.
That plan
has emanated into the development of this Guideline Document which is meant to be
practical and easy to use.
The Guideline Document is targeted at the broad spectrum of waste management
practitioners and other stakeholders involved in the generation, conveyancing and disposal
of building and demolition waste including;
a) Landfill operators and managers
b) Municipal managers
c) Design engineers and architects
d) Construction engineers and managers
7
e) Property owners and developers
f)
Building and demolition contractors, and
g) Other professionals involved in the design, construction, maintenance and demolition
cycle of buildings and infrastructure
The development of the Guideline Document involved scanning process to review best
practice in the Gauteng Province, South Africa and elsewhere particularly first world
countries with geo-socio-physical conditions similar to South Africa. This was done in
parallel with a stakeholder consultation process which culminated in a Stakeholder
Workshop carried in Johannesburg (March 2008) where interim findings were presented.
Subsequent exchanges of two drafts were produced wherein stakeholder input was further
sought resulting in this final document.
The principle of Integrated Waste Management (IWM) has been regarded as central to the
development and implementation of this Guideline Document. IWM is a holistic and
integrated course of action that incorporates waste avoidance, the minimisation of the
generation of waste at source, through reduction and/or cleaner production;, recycling,
reuse; waste collection and transportation; waste treatment and/or waste disposal, as a last
resort. The overall objective of IWM is to optimise and maximise the efficiency of waste
management whilst minimising any negative impacts to the environment.
The use of this Guideline Document does not exempt the holder of waste (any person who
imports, generates, stores, accumulates, transports, processes, treats, or exports waste or
disposes of waste) from complying with Section 2 of the National Environmental
Management Act 107 of 1998 and Regulations No. R. 385, 386 and 387 of 21 April 20061
and any amendments thereto (refer to Appendix 2), and National Environmental
Management: Waste Act 59 of 2008 (Waste Act, 2008) and any amendments thereof, and
any other National, Provincial and Local authority legislation that may be applicable to the
activity to be undertaken.
A stakeholders’ workshop was published in national media out in order to facilitate input on
the content of the Guidelines Document. Participants in the preparation of this document
1
Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations promulgated in terms of Chapter 5 of the National Environmental
Management Act 107 of 1998 and the List of Activities and Competent Authorities identified in terms of Section 24 of the
National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998.
8
included representatives from government, local and metropolitan municipalities, private
waste management companies as well as some non governmental organisations.
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SECTION 1
BACKGROUND AND THEORETICAL ASPECTS
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1
1.1
INTRODUCTION
Background
The Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG), through the Department of Agriculture
Conservation and Environment (GDACE),
initiated a General Waste Minimisation Plan
(GWMP) for the province. The GWMP identified in its report, entitled “General Waste
Minimisation Plan Status Quo Report” that on average, 20 % of builders and in the Gauteng
province was due to building and demolition waste.
The 2004 Gauteng Provincial State of the Environment Report (SoER) has identified
building and demolition waste, as a major contributor to the rapid loss of air space within the
Gauteng Province’s landfill sites. Gauteng, as the Province with the greatest industrial and
population density, inherently generates the greatest amount of waste (approximately 42%
of the waste generated in South Africa is produced in Gauteng Province). It states inter alia
that approximately 25% of waste entering landfills are building and demolition waste.
The GPG has therefore concluded that building and demolition waste is a major contributor
to the rapid loss of air space within the Province’s landfills. It is, therefore, taking appropriate
steps to address this problem, amongst which is the development and publication of this
document.
This Guidelines Document has been developed by the GPG to assist you and all other role
players to minimise and/or divert the building and demolition waste away from landfills for
other potential and practical re-use options which also make economic sense for the user.
The environmental costs associated with the disposal of building and demolition waste, a
potentially recyclable material, include:
a) Loss of land for housing development;
b) Potential loss of habitat for indigenous species when large tracts of land are utilised
for landfill space;
c) Increased extraction of raw materials for inter alia new construction products;
d) Social costs such as loss of available land for recreation facilities; and
e) Increase in illegal dumping and the accompanying clean up costs.
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The scale and extent of the problem demands a comprehensive solution, especially since
the majority of the building and demolition waste can be recovered, reused and / or recycled
and can serve as a resource to limit the amount of non-renewable natural resources utilised.
The GDACE has therefore targeted this area for strategic intervention, in order to minimise
unnecessary disposal of building and demolition waste on landfills.
This document aims to facilitate Gauteng Provincial waste minimisation processes through
practical guidelines to assist the construction and demolition industry. It is based on the use
of best practice, where applicable, for waste reduction in building and demolition projects at
all scales of operation. It also aims to promote better waste management practises for a
wide range of stakeholders including developers, design professionals, suppliers, waste
contractors, and collectors.
The purpose of this Building and Demolishing Waste Guideline Document is to encourage
efficient waste minimisation, good environmental citizenship and resource recovery from
building and demolition waste.
Role-players targeted for the use of this Guideline Document include (but are not restricted
to):
a) Landfill operators and managers,
b) Municipal managers,
c) Design engineers and architects,
d) Construction engineers and managers,
e) Property owners and developers,
f)
Building and demolition contractors, and
g) Other professionals involved in the design, construction, maintenance and demolition
cycle of buildings and infrastructure.
The use of this Guideline Document does not exempt the holder of waste (any person who
imports, generates, stores, accumulates, transports, processes, treats, or exports waste or
disposes of waste) from complying with Section 2 of the National Environmental
Management Act 107 of 1998 and Regulations No. R. 385, 386 and 387 of 21 April 20062
and any amendments thereto (refer to Appendix 2), and National Environmental
2
Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations promulgated in terms of Chapter 5 of the National Environmental
Management Act 107 of 1998 and the List of Activities and Competent Authorities identified in terms of Section 24 of the
National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998.
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Management: Wasted Act 2008 and any amendments thereof, and any other National,
Provincial and local authority legislation that may be applicable to the activity to be
undertaken.
1.2
Methodology Followed in the Development of these Guidelines
This Guideline Document is an amalgamation of:
a) results obtained from a literature review of best practice in the building and
demolition sector in first world countries with geo-socio-physical conditions similar to
South Africa such as the United States and Australia as well as best practice in other
European countries; and
b) a stakeholder consultation process which was carried out in the greater Gauteng
area to establish “on the ground” views about practical initiatives that need
development in order to facilitate the minimisation of building and demolition waste.
The stakeholder consultation process involved discussions with representatives of the
largest building and demolition waste processors in the Gauteng Province, such as the
Cities of Johannesburg (CoJ), Mogale City, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni Metropolitan
Municipalities. Views were also obtained from Pikitup Johannesburg (Pty) Ltd (Pikitup),
which operates waste management services on behalf of CoJ, independent views from
small waste operators, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the
Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality for independent technical input, as well as other
participants in the sector.
The consultation process, whilst intended to be as broadly participative as possible, had to
make a practical shortlist of stakeholders to consult within timeframes and budget limitations
available.
A stakeholders’ workshop was published in national media out in order to facilitate input on
the content of the Guidelines Document. Participants in the preparation of this document
included representatives from government, local and metropolitan municipalities, private
waste management companies as well as some non governmental organisations.
Upon completion of the stakeholders’ workshop, a draft guidelines document was compiled
and later disseminated for comment to all stakeholders who had either;
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a) Attended the workshop;
b) Had registered interest in the project after having seen adverts in national media; or
c) Had been referred to the project team by a participating stakeholder.
Once the receipt of comments period had lapsed, comments that waere practical, relevant
and fell within the scope of the project was assimilated into the Guidelines Document. The
document was then disseminated in a second and final round of comments period. This
document then is the product of the research and consultations process described above.
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2
VISION AND MISSION STATEMENT
It is important to note that the development and use of the Guideline Document contributes
towards the Vision and Mission of the GDACE, as outlined below:
2.1
Vision
Leaders in natural resource management.
2.2
Mission Statement
Provide an integrated Provincial management system for the sustainable utilisation of
natural resources towards the quality of life for all.
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3
AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THESE GUIDELINES
The aim of this document is to provide guidelines for waste minimisation options as well as
alternative uses for building and demolition waste. The minimisation of building and
demolition waste generation at source and alternative use, reuse and recycling options are
also reviewed in partial fulfilment of that aim.
The objectives of the Guidelines Document are:
a) To identify best practicable environmental options for building and demolition waste
minimization at source,
b) To give guidance on the recovery, reuse and recycling of building and demolition
waste,
c) To implement the following objectives of the Gauteng Provincial Integrated Waste
Management Policy of 2006:
i.
Objective 8: Avoidance and Substitution
ii.
Objective 9: Waste Reduction and Minimisation
iii.
Objective 10: Waste Recovery and Recycling
iv.
Objective 12: Waste Processing
v.
Objective 13: Waste Treatment and Disposal
d) To implement the goal of the Gauteng General Waste Minimisation Plan, and that
goal is to stabilise waste generation by 2014 and reduce waste disposal by a margin
of 1% per annum over the next 5 years, i.e. 2009 to 2014.
e) To give effect to the Gauteng Strategy for Sustainable Development as it relates to
waste minimisation,
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4
4.1
WHAT IS WASTE, BUILDING & DEMOLITION WASTE AND INTEGRATED WASTE
MANAGEMENT?
What is Waste?
The Waste Act defines was as “any substance, whether or not that substance can be
reduced, reused, recycled and recovered –
(a) that is surplus, unwanted, rejected, discarded, abandoned or disposed of;
(b) where the generator has no further use of for the purposes of production,
reprocessing or consumption;
(c) that must be treated or disposed of; or
(d) that is identified as waste by the Minister”;
but (i) a by-product is not considered waste; and
(ii) any portion of waste, once re-used, recycled and recovered, ceases to be waste
(Waste Act, 2008).
General waste is further defined as waste that does not pose an immediate hazard or threat
to health or to the environment, and includes building and demolition waste. Therefore,
waste emanating from building activities will still be considered to be a general waste stream
(unless contaminated by a hazardous constituent such as oil, asbestos, etc.) and will be
handled as such unless alternatives for the disposal thereof are found.
Hazardous waste means any waste that contains organic or inorganic elements or
compounds that may, owing to the inherent physical, chemical or toxicological
characteristics of that waste, have a detrimental impact on health and the environment
(Waste Act, 2008)
In addition to the above, and of relevance to this Guidelines Document, definitions are
provided for recycle and reuse, as follows:
a) Recycle means a process where waste is reclaimed for further use, and includes the
separation of waste from a waste stream for further use and the processing of that
separated material as a product or raw material; and
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b) Reuse means to utilize articles from the waste stream again for a similar or different
purpose without changing the form or properties of the articles.
For the first time, the recovery, reuse and recycling of waste will be regulated, once the Act
is promulgated. This Guidelines Document is intended to support the principles and
objectives of the Bill and the provisions contained therein.
The latest definition of waste as per the Waste Act and its regulations will for the
purposes of legal interpretation, prevail for the use of this guideline document.
4.2
What is Building and Demolition Waste?
The Waste Act defines ‘building and demolition waste’ as waste produced during the
construction, alteration, repair or demolition of any structure and includes concrete, earth,
rock and wood that is displaced during that construction, alteration, repair or demolition.
Additional definitions of building-related waste have been included in various local authority
bylaws, as outlined in Appendix 1. The basic tenets of all the definitions are that it is waste
that is generated through demolition, excavation and building activities. Building activities
can be regarded as including construction, alteration and repair of buildings.
This report adopts the definition of building and demolition waste as contained in the
National Environmental Management: Waste Bill, for the development and implementation
of the Guidelines Document.
4.3
What is Integrated Waste Management?
The principle of Integrated Waste Management (IWM) must be regarded as central to the
development and implementation of this Guideline Document.
As waste management
issues gain public awareness, concern has risen about the appropriateness of various
disposal methods. IWM is a holistic and integrated course of action that incorporates waste
avoidance, the minimisation of the generation of waste at source, through reduction and/or
cleaner production; recycling, reuse; waste collection and transportation; waste treatment
and/or waste disposal, as a last resort. The overall objective being to optimise and maximise
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the efficiency of waste management whilst minimising any negative impacts on the
environment.
One of the environmental management principles outlined in Section 2 of the National
Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998 (NEMA), the framework statute governing the
environment in South Africa, underpins the philosophy of IWM. It holds that sustainable
development requires that “waste is avoided, or where is cannot be altogether avoided,
minimised and reused or recycled where possible and otherwise disposed of in a
responsible manner3. .
Thus, IWM requires the following processes to be considered when managing waste, listed
in order of preference:
a) Waste Avoidance, i.e., the prevention and avoidance of the production of waste;
b) Minimisation, i.e., when used in relation to waste, means the avoidance of the
amount and toxicity of waste that is generated and, in the event where waste is
generated, the reduction of the amount and toxicity of waste that is disposed of;
c) Waste Recycling, i.e., a process where waste is reclaimed for further use, and
includes the separation of a waste stream for further use and the processing of that
separated material as a product or a raw material;
d) Re-use, i.e., means to utilise articles from the waste stream again for a similar or
different purpose without changing the form or properties of the article;
e) Waste Treatment, i.e., means any method, technique or process that is designed to
i.
change the physical, biological or chemical character or composition of a
waste; or
ii.
remove, separate, concentrate or recover a hazardous or toxic component of
a waste; or
iii.
destroy or reduce the toxicity of a waste,
in order to minimise the impact of the waste on the environment prior to further use
or disposal;; and
f)
Waste Disposal, i.e., the environmentally safe and legal deposit or placing of waste
onto land.
3
Section 2(4)(a)(iv).
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Essentially, IWM involves the reduction of the amount and environmental impact of waste
generated, and can be achieved by inter alia reducing the quantities of materials used (and
therefore potential for wastage) or by reusing existing materials. Ideally, prevention of waste
is the target, but this is not always realistic, nor achievable. Waste prevention, also called
source reduction, involves the reduction of the amount or toxicity of the relevant waste
streams.
Figure 4-3 Waste Hierarchy inherent to Integrated Waste Management
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5
PRINCIPLES, POLICY & LEGISLATIVE INSTRUMENTS
The following policies and legislative instruments are applicable to this guideline document:
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
White Paper on Integrated Pollution & Waste Management for South Africa
National Waste Management Strategy
National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998
Polokwane Declaration on Waste Management
5.5
Gauteng Provincial Integrated Waste Management Policy (September 2006)
The stated goal of the IWM Policy is to “set out the vision, principles and strategic goals and
objectives that the GPG will apply to achieve integrated and environmentally sustainable
waste management in the Province, thereby ensuring that its obligations and duties in terms
of the South African Constitution are other relevant requirements are effected”.
The particular objectives of the for IWM Policy that apply to this guideline document are:
a) Objective 8: Avoidance and Substitution
b) Objective 9: Waste Reduction and Minimisation
c) Objective 10: Waste Recovery and Recycling
d) Objective 12: Waste Processing
e) Objective 13: Waste Treatment and Disposal
5.6
Gauteng General Waste Minimisation Plan
The Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environmental Affairs (GDACE)
has begun a process towards the development of a general waste-minimisation plan, in an
attempt to reduce and better manage growing volumes of waste being generated and
disposed of in the province.
The aim of the general waste minimisation plan is to investigate and develop technological
options and to draft plans to minimise waste problems in the province. This is in an attempt
to curb the trend of growing volumes of waste that is generated and disposed of in the
province. As articulated earlier in this document, the increased waste problem has been
attributed to population growth, fuelled by the large influx of people into the province as well
as a surging economy.
Currently, the national Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT), in
collaboration with provincial authorities, is also drafting a waste-management strategy to
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tackle the construction waste generated by preparations for the 2010 soccer World Cup®
event. Another issue being tackled is the need for an integrated waste-management
regulation plan, which will define the relationship between local and provincial authorities on
waste management. This is because there is currently no legislation to regulate the
relationship between local and provincial authorities on the issue.
The integrated waste-management plan, which will require accountability between local and
national authorities, including review and monitoring on a continual basis, will form part of
the integrated development plan. Gauteng Provincial Government is also working on
developing standards for general waste collection.
Government’s draft Waste Management Bill, which was approved by Cabinet in December
2006, is currently in the public consultation process. The Bill, targeting waste minimisation
by promoting avoidance, recovery, reuse and recycling, and using disposal of waste as a
last resort, sets out measures for the storage, collection, transportation, recovery, re-use,
recycling, treatment, disposal of waste, a greater producer responsibility and contaminated
land rehabilitation.
At the time of publication of this Document, Deat expected the Bill to be presented to
Cabinet and tabled to Parliament over the second half of 2008.
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SECTION 2
GUIDELINE AND BEST PRACTICE
23
6
SOURCES OF BUILDING & DEMOLITION WASTE
Gauteng as the economic hub of South Africa is undergoing rapid development and
construction. This invariably leads to generation of excess building and demolition waste.
Building and demolition waste is the excess material produced during construction,
renovation, and demolition of buildings and structures. Building and demolition waste is
generated when new structures have to be erected to replace existing ones, when there are
alterations to be made to structures, or when existing structures collapse due to natural
causes such as ground movement or unnatural causes such as explosions. Fittings such as
partitions, frames, light fittings, ceilings, etc, are included in the classification of building and
demolition waste, as is the soil aggregate displaced from building foundations and tunnelling
activities.
Building and demolition waste streams include the following:
a) aluminum,
b) asbestos
c) asphalt,
d) brick,
e) concrete,
f)
corrugated cardboard,
g) drywall (interior wall panelling),
h) glass,
i)
lumber (or timber),
j)
insulation,
k) masonry,
l)
plastics,
m) rocks,
n) roofing materials,
o) soil,
p) steel, etc
An increasing component nowadays is building and demolition waste from the maintenance
of roadways. This is made of asphalt and reinforced concrete. Although it mainly finds its
24
way to landfills, enterprising entrepreneurs are increasingly re-processing it for use again in
roadways construction and maintenance.
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7
7.1
GUIDELINES FOR THE MINIMISATION OF BUILDING AND DEMOLITION WASTE
Introduction
It is widely acknowledged that the construction industry has a major impact on the
environment, both in terms of the resources it consumes and the waste it produces. The
industry produces significant building and demolition waste that ends up in landfills or at
times illegally dumped. The reality though is that the construction industry, is crucial to the
development required in all countries including South Africa and the Gauteng Province. It is
also responsible for producing a wide range of waste products, the amount and type of
which depend on factors such as the stage of construction, the type of construction work
being undertaken and the practices adopted on the construction site.
As the majority of building and demolition waste is being disposed of either illegally or to
landfill, the actual and/or potential environmental impact of such practices includes:
a) Piles of building and demolition waste found on open spaces which aesthetically
degrade the landscape and invite further dumping. The fines imposed in terms of
local bylaws for illegal dumping are generally not considered adequate to act as
a deterrent to this practice but the new Waste Act is likely to change this;
b) Seepage from building and demolition waste that contains hazardous materials
can transport hazardous substances which has the potential to contaminate the
soil and as well as pollute groundwater;
c) Failure to recycle building- and demolition-related waste directly affects the
volume of natural resources depleted. Using recycled aggregates reduces the
amount of natural resources needed;
d) Landfilling of building and demolition waste uses up expensive land and
continuance of this practice in place of reusing or recycling will put a heavy
burden on scarce land resources.
Worldwide, the problem of building and demolition waste is being addressed by
comprehensive strategies to reduce waste through more efficient planning and use of new
materials, while promoting reuse and recycling of building and demolition waste, thus
adhering to and promoting the principles of IWM. In some cases, these strategies are being
26
developed through partnerships amongst Government, the construction industry, project
planners and architects.
The following, based in part on the waste management hierarchy, illustrates basic strategies
for dealing with waste in which the management and minimisation of building and demolition
waste should be based;
a) Reduction,
b) Deconstruction for reuse, and
c) Recycling.
A chart of options and specific guidelines for dealing with individual waste streams is
presented in Section 7.8 in later text.
7.2
Minimisation of Building and Demolition Waste through Reduction
In terms of the Waste Management Hierarchy depicted at Figure 4-3, waste prevention is
the ideal, and this can be addressed firstly by identifying possible waste streams earleir on
in the build process by planning and designing for waste minimisation.
Many waste reduction issues are addressed prior to the commencement of construction
activities. In planning, components and quantities of waste stream are typically projected,
goals will be set and methods and recycling markets identified. The design stage will provide
plans and specify materials that are prefabricated, recyclable, recycled-content and/or nonhazardous, when feasible. Education to contractors also contributes to waste reduction and
therefore minimisation.
7.2.1
Benefits of Reduction
Reduction is the most important waste minimisation option. It keeps materials out of the
waste stream. Methods to reduce waste include changing packaging, substituting
disposable items for reusable ones and developing products that are more durable or at
least repairable, for example, long life light bulbs as opposed to traditional incandescent light
bulbs, longer lasting washable paints etc. A change in packaging might be the removal of
27
unnecessary packaging for example cement bags for certain applications, or a complete
switch to biodegradable packaging.
The benefits of minimising waste through reduction include;
a) Reducing demand for landfill space,
b)
Saving resources and energy,
c)
Reducing pollution increasing the efficiency of production, and
d) Reduction in illegal dumping
7.3
Minimisation of Building and Demolition Waste through Deconstruction
Deconstruction is a process of building disassembly and material salvage, for reuse, as per
the Waste Management Hierarchy. This process is not new but has increased in popularity
overseas due to the benefits that it offers. Deconstruction literally means taking apart a
building and removing some or all of the contents for recovery. Materials such as equipment
and appliances, metals, wood timber and flooring, architectural features such as mouldings,
masonry, and more may be salvaged from a building.
Depending on the nature and
condition of the materials, deconstruction may be a small part of the demolition process or
may replace the demolition activities entirely.
With careful planning, deconstruction projects can be cost competitive and have shown
valuable returns. However, the work is labour intensive, but generally does not require
specialized technology as many tools used in the deconstruction process are the same as
those used in the construction of the building.
Deconstruction has the potential to provide benefits to the Gauteng market, particularly in
respect of the need for low income housing. The extent or magnitude the practice occurs in
Gauteng has not been quantified.
7.3.1
Benefits of Deconstruction
Overall, the advantages and benefits of the deconstruction as a means of minimising
building and demolition waste, present great opportunities for job creation and economic
development in Gauteng, these include:
28
a) The stimulation of growth in a local economy by creating of businesses to support
both the actual deconstruction of structures and the marketing of the recovered
materials.
b) Opportunities to increase the skill level of the local workforce by training workers for
jobs in construction.
Internationally, project managers work alongside nonprofit
organizations dedicated for training the local workforce to reduce the cost of the
deconstruction and to support the local economy.
c) A higher cost for deconstruction is perceived because of the longer time and care
required.
7.3.2
Limiting Factors for the Deconstruction of Waste to Reduce Building and
Demolition Waste
Dismantling a building takes considerably longer than demolition. Additionally, materials
that are bound for reuse require more care in storing and processing than those bound for
recycling or disposal. Items also need to be carefully evaluated and separated so they can
be properly matched with markets.
7.4
Minimisation of Building and Demolition Waste through Reuse and Recycling
The reuse and recycling of building and demolition waste are practicable options and a large
portion of the waste stream can be reused within the building industry. The capacity for
recycling the majority of the waste stream has been proven in many countries. Recycling, as
a minimisation strategy generally, requires more technological innovation than those of
reduction and reuse through deconstruction, as the process typically requires the
modification of materials through remanufacture (Leigh and Patterson, 2004).
Some materials can be recycled directly into the same product for re-use, as discussed in
7.3 above. Others can be reconstituted into other usable products. Standard building and
demolition waste recycling generally involves three types of recycling, namely:
a) Direct use of materials, as discussed above.
b) Physical alteration of materials, e.g. the use of crushed concrete for granular subbase layers in road pavement construction or drainage and excavation fill
applications. Crushed brick and concrete may be used as fill on construction site
29
c) Remanufacture of products, e.g. recycled wood can be used to produce composite
lumber and plastic, glass can be transformed into fibreglass or extruded into glass
beads.
Internationally, and to a certain extent locally, the reuse and recycling of building and
demolition waste has a long tradition in the construction industry. A high proportion of
conventional building and demolition waste, and particularly the component derived from
materials such as concrete, bricks and tiles are well suited to being crushed and recycled as
a substitute for newly quarried aggregates in certain lower grade applications, such as
engineering fill and road sub-base. It is important to note, however, that with entrepreneurial
activity, the number and types of construction materials provide the potential for more reuse
and recycling of the waste stream.
7.4.1
Benefits of the Recycling of Building and Demolition Waste
Overall, the advantages and benefits of the recycling of building and demolition waste,
through international experience have been identified as including:
a) Recycling of building and demolition waste reduces the illegal and unauthorised
dumping of materials,
b) Costs associated with the transportation of waste, disposal fees and wastage of
materials can be recovered when the building and demolition waste is recycled or
reused,
c) The recycling of materials ensures that waste materials are returned into the
materials recycle, thereby contributing to the conservation of natural resources,
d) Reduction of waste disposed at landfill sites thereby elongating landfill life span,
e) The amount of energy needed to produce recycled materials is less than the energy
used to produce virgin materials, and
f)
Recycling activities can translate into employment and business creation
opportunities for communities.
7.4.2
Limiting Factors for the Reuse and Recycling of Building and Demolition
Waste
Although there are more materials emanating from the building and demolition industry than
those listed in Section 6 above that are suitable for recycling, there are external factors that
30
influence the spread of such recycling. These include the value of recycled and salvaged
goods in the market place, the labour costs for the removal, sorting and processing of such
materials and the relative disposal costs. It is imperative that recycled and salvaged goods
are price competitive. Incentives (such as tax or rebates), subsidies and market demand all
impact on pricing.
In addition, the minimisation and recycling of the waste stream is limited by the following
factors:
a) Technology is quickly developing for recycling of materials into reconstituted building
materials. However, this technology is not readily available locally and requires initial
capital / financial investment;
b) There are currently no incentives to recycle. This coupled with the relartively low
disposal costs reduces the incentive to invest in recycling initiatives;
c) Lack of industry standards and acceptance of recycling of building materials, coupled
with a lack of testing to ensure recycled content construction materials meet the strict
performance specifications demanded in the construction industry;
d) The more complex processes, i.e. remanufacturing processes, require more labour
and capital;
e) The space, cost, timing and training required for separation of materials on site;
f)
lWhen not sorted on site, special facilities are required for the separation and
processing of the material.
Such facilities are not widely accessible in many
markets, and in order to develop and invest in them, investors will require certain
market conditions;
g) Many countries, including South Africa, have immature recycling markets;
h) Inadequate information on safety and acceptable use limit the recyclability of some
building and demolition waste. Those building and demolition associated businesses
that are operating generally demonstrate that the innovators are either using
government support and/or private entrepreneurship to use the material, rather than
sending it to landfill; and
i)
Lack of markets for a wide variety of products and a lack of guaranteed supply of
recovered building (and demolition) materials, coupled with the difficulty in breaking
into established markets dominated by virgin materials.
31
This Guidelines Document is intended to be a guideline only and should be read in
conjunction with Section 4 earlier in the document which details integrated waste
management principles and planning as well as Section 5 which lays out the current existing
principles, policy and legislative instruments in South Africa.
7.5
Steps to Consider
The guidelines towards minimising building waste are presented in more detail in the Waste
Minimisation Chart of the next Section 7.8. The waste minimisation guidelines chart has
been developed to provide a broad framework and overview on how to guide a building and
demolition waste practitioner to identify their role within the life cycle of a construction
project, identify waste streams being generated in their operation, determine available waste
minimisation options and, thereafter, provide an indication of the cost and technological
implications of the option chosen.
In adopting an approach towards minimising building and demolition waste the reader will be
required to take the following steps (this next table of steps should ideally be read in
conjunction with chart in Section 7.6).
Table 7-1: Steps to be taken in the Minimisation of Building and Demolition Waste
Step 1
Action
Comments
Identify which role you play in the life cycle of a
An architect, for instance, would apply the
building project: i.e. Design, Construction,
Guidelines at the design stage of a
Maintenance or demolition
development, a developer & contractor during
construction / maintenance, etc.
Step 2
If in the design field, assess the possibility for
Other waste management practitioners may
the inclusion of longer lasting materials or those
skip this stage as not applicable.
that require less maintenance
Step 3
Identify the waste constituents to be dealt with
E.g. wood, scrap metal, glass, appliances, etc.
Step 4
Assess different options based on waste
Preference should be to aim for reduction
hierarchy (reduce, reuse, recycle)
followed by reuse and recycling before opting
Determine the relative cost of the intervention.
for disposal at landfill
This cost consideration will either be to set up
Relative cost will be either, High, Medium, Low
infrastructure to process a waste stream, to
or a combination of these
32
store waste constituents, to dispose.
Alternatively, it may be due to income to be
obtained from waste merchants as proceeds
from a particular waste stream
Step 5
Determine the level of technology required for
The level of technology may have to do with
the intervention
tooling and machinery required to process a
waste stream. E.g. For deconstruction projects
which may require carpentry and or bricklaying
tools which are generally Low technology, but
may be a combination that includes Medium/
High
Step 6
Search for and establish markets for materials
to be recycled (in terms of price, market
location, transportation and logistics)
Step 7
Decide on suitability for your circumstance
33
7.6
The Building and Demolition Waste Minimisation Guideline Chart
Table 7-2: The Building and Demolition Waste Minimisation Chart
Building Design
Use of longer lasting materials to reduce
maintenance frequency (and therefore
generation of waste)
e.g. paint, lighting, surfacing (e.g. screeds)
X
All
Building Disassembly:
Removal and salvage of components for
re-use or recycling, such as windows,
bricks, piping, tiles.
Materials can be sold and used for low
cost housing.
Building Disassembly:
Demolition firms given right disposal costs,
labour rates, ready markets, and sufficient
job time strip accessible re-cyclables & reusables. Designers and architects need to
plan for this option at design stage
Planning Departments
Provincial and Local Authorities can make
it a condition when authorising building
X
All
All
X
Demolition
Design
All
Maintenance
Option
Construction
(Key: H-High, M-Medium, L-Low)
Waste Stream
X
X
X
X
Prevention/
Cost
Level of
Recovery
(HML)
Technology
Category
(HML)
Prevention
H/L
H/L
Prevention
Re-use
L
L
Re-use
Recycle
L
L
Prevention
L
L
Re-use
34
Demolition
Design
Maintenance
Option
Construction
Waste Stream
and demolition of structures that materials
are accounted for.
All
All
Asphalt and
surplus road
building
material
Purchasing to prevent waste
Excessive packaging and materials should
be avoided. Packaging should be to
prevent damage and waste. Estimating
procedures should be continuously
evaluated to eliminate excess material
Registry for
Waste
Management
Practitioners
The establishment of a registry for all
waste management practitioners should
be established followed by a professional
body that promotes members to uphold
certain ethics and professional standards.
Use of the following roadwork
applications:
 Asphalt patch for roads (cold-mix)
pavement,
 On-site processing into hot-mix for
roads
 Road base or fill material
Resurfacing,
rehabilitation
and
reconstruction of roads produces surplus
material such as RAP(Recycled asphalt
Prevention/
Cost
Level of
Recovery
(HML)
Technology
Category
(HML)
Recycle
X
X
X
Prevention
L
L
Prevention
L
L
Re-use
Recycle
X
X
X
Re-use
M/L
M/L
35
Concrete
Concrete
Demolition
Design
Bricks
pavements), base and sub-base which
can be re-used
Crush for the following landfill
applications:
 Landfill cover material
 Berms in landfills to give structural
strength to cells
 Cell cover once a cell is filled, and
To provide paved and firm tipping or offloading zones, particularly during rainy
conditions at landfill sites.
Crush for the following construction
site applications:
 Fill on construction sites
 Aggregate for new ready-mix
(Aggregates are materials used in
construction,
including
sand,
gravel, crushed stone, slag, or
recycled crushed concrete.)
Crush for the following roadwork
applications:
 granular sub-base layers in road
pavement construction
 Drainage
 Excavation fill applications (on or
off-site)
Maintenance
Option
Construction
Waste Stream
X
X
X
Prevention/
Cost
Level of
Recovery
(HML)
Technology
Category
Recycle
(HML)
L
L/M
M
M
M
M
Re-use
Recycle
X
X
X
X
Recycle
Recycle
36
Drywalling
Glass
Metals
Paper
Cardboard
Plastic
Demolition
Design
Concrete
Maintenance
Option
Construction
Waste Stream
Crush for the following;
 waterway applications;
 used as riprap, ie, large pieces of
rock or other material used along
the bank as foundation,
 geotechnical applications;
 permanent,
erosion-resistant.
ground cover of large, loose,
angular stone with filter. fabric or
geotextile underlining
Soil amendment (gypsum),
cement additive (gypsum)
 new drywall (gypsum)
 Reuse of windows and mirrors,
inert granular material additive,
fibreglass
Window frames can be reused
Sold to scrap metal dealers
Roofing material can be re-used
X
& Reprocessed as new paper and
packaging product
Collected separately, and clean, can be
recycled
X
X
X
X
X
X
Prevention/
Cost
Level of
Recovery
(HML)
Technology
Category
(HML)
Recycle
L
L
X
X
Recycle
L
L
X
X
Re-use
L
L
L
L
Recycle
L
L
Recycle
L
L
Recycle
X
X
X
Re-use
Recycle
37
and Wood Salvaged for the following uses:
 Wood fuel,
Masonry
 Mulch
 Bulking agents for composting
 Manufactured wood products
 Alternative
wood
fibre-based
materials
\Masonry:
Normally crushable to recycled masonry
aggregate;
For thermal insulation applications
Also used as aggregate in traditional clay
bricks
Demolition
Design
Wood
Maintenance
Option
Construction
Waste Stream
X
X
X
Prevention/
Cost
Level of
Recovery
(HML)
Technology
Category
Re-use
Recycling
(HML)
L
L/M
38
7.7
Further Explanatory Notes on Recycling Options
To further aid users of this Guideline Document in using the waste minimisation chart,
the following explanatory notes have been drawn. They draw and expand on each of
the waste minimisation options identified for building and demolition waste. In addition,
they give guidance on the application stage for each option with respect to a building
structure’s construction/demolition cycle.
They also, where practicable, explain cost
implications as well as technological considerations that a waste management
practitioner would need to consider were they to opt for a particular option.
It should be noted that that the costs quoted in this section are current as at March 2008,
and are subject to fluctuation and change depending on market conditions.
39
7.7.1 Purchasing to Prevent Building and Demolition Waste
Purchasing to Prevent Waste
Options
Excessively packaged waste and materials should be avoided.
Packaging should be adequate to prevent damage and waste. The use of
vinyl siding, flooring and countertop materials should be minimized by
ordering only the quantity needed in building specific lengths. Estimating
procedures need to be continuously evaluated to make sure that excess
material is not delivered to site.
Project managers overall, should be encouraged/ obliged to keep
accurate project records of the costs and savings associated with Waste
Prevention. These should be provided to the building owner and, if
possible, cost savings should be estimated as well as the corresponding
environmental impacts.
Lastly, a list of suppliers and recycling contacts should be developed for
easy reference and use in future projects.
Phase of
This waste minimisation option is applicable at project design stage.
Development
Cost
Difficult to quantify.
Implications
Level of
This is dependent on a case by case situation that includes the project
Technology
financial circumstances, the type of development in question, available
materials supply scenario, the design engineer/architect/draughtsman as
well as the project sponsors.
40
7.7.2 Planning Departments
Planning Departments
Options
Significant waste minimisation targets can also be realised through a
conscious decision by municipal town planning departments to
incorporate a stage in the approval process where a prospective
developer or demolisher accounts for the disposal of all building and
demolition waste materials.
Phase of
This intervention is suitable for the design stage in the building/
Development
demolition process as the submission of design documents with the
authorities would provide a good point to check, pin point and quantify
waste to be generated from a construction/ demolition site.
Cost of
Cost implications for incorporating this intervention are Low but it may
Implications
introduce a small time delay in project implementation as a quantity
surveyor may need to be introduced in the supply chain.
Level of
The level of technology in this intervention is Low as this is purely a
Technology
quantity surveyor and administrative function.
7.7.3 The Use of Longer Lasting Materials and Cost implications
Table 7-3: Potential Uses of Building-Related Recycled Materials
The Use of Longer Lasting Materials
Options
Phase
Development
Examples of longer lasting materials are;

Durable oil paint coatings

Long life light fixtures

Tiles instead of carpeting

Face brick instead of plaster and blocks
of The use of longer lasting materials as a waste minimisation option needs
to be incorporated at building design stage in order for a project to
realize optimal cost benefits. It is also possible to make changes and
incorporate such options at the maintenance stage.
Cost
The use of longer lasting materials ensures that the costs to up-keep and
Implications
maintain buildings and properties are greatly reduced. Compact
Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) have much longer life (up to 6X or 6000 hrs)
41
than ordinary incandescent bulbs.
They exhibit all the performance
characteristics of the incandescent lamp but, in addition, have an
extremely long life and very low energy consumption with associated
environmental benefits. A CFL lamp costs R40 – R70 (depending on the
brand and power rating) as opposed to R5 for an incandescent lamp of
equivalent light intensity. The use of a CFL lamp means that there will be
a saving of 6 times the requirement to dispose of waste incandescent
lamps at a landfill site.
Similarly, cheap water-based paints will need to be maintained much
more regularly than more expensive oil-based paint coatings.
The current cost for building contractor’s paint is approximately R200 to
R250 for 20 litres of water-based paints compared to R750 to R1000 for
20 litres of oil-based paints with the following characteristics that make it
longer lasting;

Flexibility,

Washability and dirt resistance,

UV and weather resistance.
The cost of implementing these strategies can be Low to Medium
Other interventions for introducing longer lasting construction materials
include the use of face brick and/ or tiles. This option, can however, have
a considerably increased (Medium) capital cost to the project.
Level of
The level of technology used to implement this waste minimisation option
Technology
can be classified as Low.
The choice of material incorporated into a building design is influenced by
style, cost and availability as opposed to technological considerations.
Invariably, the same appliances are used for the different options. For
instance, sockets fixtures are standard for both incandescent and
fluorescent light bulbs; Oil based paints which last longer use the same
brush equipment as water based paints; The same implements are used
for face brick as standard cement blocks.
42
7.7.4 Timber and Wood
Timber and Wood
Options
Undamaged wood can be re-used for the following applications:
plank, beam, door, floorboard, rafter, balcony parapet and pile.
In
addition, a special lightweight concrete can also be produced from
aggregate made from recycled small wood chunk. The energy value can
also be recovered whereby the wood is used as a fuel for heating or
power generation.
In agriculture and gardening, mulch is a protective cover placed over the
soil, primarily to modify the effects of the local climate. Mulch keeps
weeds down and reduces the need for water. Mulch can essentially be
used interchangeably with chip board and sawdust. Branches and trees
from site clearing can be stored separately and chipped for use on the
site as landscaping mulch.
Clean sawdust should be set aside, in
marked and designated containers, for use in compost piles or around
planting areas.
Phase of
Wood can be salvaged at construction, maintenance and demolition
Development
stages of a project. At the construction stage, it is standard practice for
formwork to be re-used over and over again. Care must be taken to store
formwork and lumber appropriately (in dry conditions) to ensure that it
does not warp out of shape.
Also, during construction work, lumber and plywood/ oriented strand
board (OSB) cut-offs can be used as fire blocking, spacers in header
construction and in other ways.
These should be set aside. During
maintenance and demolition stages wood can also be deconstructed and
re-used in other projects or as new product. Once treated and polished,
its value frequently appreciates considerably as antique.
Clean sawdust need to be set aside, in marked and designated
containers, for use in compost piles or around planting areas.
Sawdust that contains painted or treated wood needs to be avoided or be
43
bagged separately and sent to appropriate facilities.
Care must be taken though to store formwork and lumber appropriately
(in dry conditions) to ensure that it does not warp out of shape.
Cost of
Cost implications for re-using wood and timber are Low but will need to
Implications
be complemented with the use of skilled artisans.
Prices paid by building and demolition waste merchants for wood vary
depending on the condition and type of wood. The following are some
prices quoted in the Gauteng Province for some wood types;
South African pine
<R2/m (38X38mm)
Teak
<R10/m
Oregon pine
<R10/m
Level of
Levels of technology interventions are Low/Medium depending on the
Technology
level of sophistication and automation of machinery to be used.
Whole timber arising from building and demolition activities can be
utilized easily and directly in other construction projects after cleaning, renailing and sizing.
44
7.7.5 Asphalt
Asphalt
Options
Asphalt waste can be used for the production of new asphalt, containing
10-15% recycled asphalt. The remaining broken asphalt can be bonded
with cement and used in place of sand or cement sub-bases. Old asphalt
materials are crushed for recycling as asphalt aggregate, mixed with
sand and binder. The binder can be either cement or a liquid in the form
of a bituminous emulsion. For roadwork applications asphalt is re-used
as either cold or hot mix for road base or as fill material. Old asphalt
materials are crushed for recycling as asphalt aggregate, mixed with
sand and binder. The binder can be either cement or a liquid in the form
of a bituminous emulsion.
Phase of
The use of asphalt materials in South Africa is largely regulated by the
Development
COLTO (Road building specifications) and SABS 1200 (Standard
specifications for road and bridge works) standards. Accepted recycled
uses for asphalt include pavements (recycled asphalt pavements), base
and sub-base.
Whilst recyclers are keen to promote the use of asphalt in road
construction, consulting engineers, are however, sceptical in specifying
this material due to inconsistent quality control standards during presorting at demolition and regarding aggregate finally at crushing stage.
Cost
In roadwork applications the re-use of asphalt has Medium to High cost
Implications
implications; Medium when applied in the repair of road sections and very
High when large sections of road are maintained or constructed and
there is a need for crushing equipment.
The net cost for a building or property demolisher to dispose of asphalt
and or concrete based waste will vary from zero to a deficit amounting to
approximately R100 per ton. This is because the building and demolition
waste problem varies between different municipalities - some provide an
incentive by accepting it for free (e.g. the City of Tshwane Metropolitan
Municipality), while other municipalities such as City of Johannesburg
Metropolitan Municipality, whose landfill airspace is at a premium, will
45
charge disposers a nominal fee in the region of about R100/ton to accept
waste. Private waste management companies (e.g. Dumpit SA Waste
Removals CC) that process and beneficiate the product to be re-sold as
construction aggregate follow this cue and charge a similar amount.
Level of
For roadwork applications asphalt is re-used as either cold-mix or hot mix
Technology
for road base or as fill material. In roadwork applications the re-use of
asphalt has Medium to High cost implications; Medium when applied in
the repair of road sections and very High when large sections of road are
maintained or constructed and there is a need for crushing equipment.
The cold in-place recycling (CIPR) is a process where the existing
bituminous pavement is recycled without application of heat. In the CIPR
process, the scarified material from the existing pavement is crushed to
the required gradation and binder in cold form (such as emulsion or
cutback or foamed bitumen) is added. Externally acquired Reclaimed
Bituminous Pavement (RBP) or fresh aggregates are also added
depending on the requirement. The material is mixed in-situ, compacted,
and left for curing. During this process, additives such as cement, quick
lime and fly ash are also used. The depth of treatment is typically 75100mm.
46
7.7.6 Bricks
Bricks
Options
Bricks provide valuable crush for the following applications e.g. :

Reuse in buildings and paving

As berms in the construction of landfill cells to give structural
strength

As landfill cover material, and

As firm paving or track-way for trucks to travel, particularly during
rainy days
Phase of
The use of bricks as construction material in landfills will generally avail
Development
as a waste minimisation option during either maintenance or demolition
stages in a project life cycle.
Cost
Bricks arising from demolition may be contaminated with mortar,
Implications
rendering and plaster, and are often mixed with other materials such as
timber and concrete. Separation of the potentially more valuable face
bricks is usually difficult and requires hand sorting. Any significant
contamination of the bricks will render their uses uneconomical, as cleanup costs by far outweigh the cost of natural brick. It is a generally Low
cost option both from a demolition site manager’s point of view as the
only costs associated are transport to disposal site and (in certain landfill
sites) disposal costs, and a landfill operator’s view point as they need the
material for maintaining structural integrity of landfill cells.
The cost implications relating to the reuse of bricks are largely similar to
asphalt – see discussion in section 7.9.3 above.
In addition, paving, stock and face brick can be sold for reuse for up to
R1 per brick.
Level of
As this is a well accepted practice in landfill management, most landfill
Technology
operators adopt their use in this application widely. It is a generally Low
cost option.
47
7.7.7 Concrete
Concrete
Options
Waste minimisation application considerations for concrete are similar to
asphalt, in that it is widely used in the construction of landfill cells. This
application of concrete helps in prolonging the life of landfills.
Concrete based waste is also used as road construction aggregate (as
"sub-base" gravel for new roads or maintenance projects). Sub-base
gravel is used in the bottom layer of a road, designed to give the road its
strength. Because the crushed material is still about 63 millimetres in
size, this makes it unsuitable for use as the finished surface for the roads.
Clean concrete chunks, old brick, broken blocks and other masonry
building and demolition waste can also be used as backfill along
foundation walls.
Phase of
The use of bricks as construction material in landfills will generally avail
Development
as a waste minimisation option during either maintenance or demolition
stages in a project life cycle.
Cost
The use of concrete as re-processed road construction / maintenance
Implications
aggregate involves high capital costs to purchase crushing equipment (a
minimum of R300 000 is anticipated). However, in the construction of
landfill sites, there is no capital expenses required (other than standard
landfill construction machinery).
The cost implications relating to the reuse of concrete are largely similar
to asphalt and brick – see discussion in section 7.9.3 above.
Level of
The most usual way to recycle concrete waste is referred to as bound
Technology
(natural aggregate replacement in new concrete) and unbound (road
base, trench, etc).
Although unbound use consumes most of the
volumes of more than 90%, acceptable concrete qualities with aggregate
replacement of more than 90% have been documented. Instances of
acceptable concrete qualities with aggregate replacement up to 30% in
new concrete have also been well documented.
48
7.7.8 Metals (Ferrous and Non-ferrous)
Metals (Ferrous and Non-ferrous)
Options
There is a highly developed market for ferrous metal recycling worldwide.
It is one of the most profitable and recyclable materials. Steel should
preferably be reused directly. If it is unsuitable for direct reuse, it should
be melted for the production of new steel. The main non-ferrous metals
collected from building and demolition sites are aluminium, copper, lead
and zinc. Once sorted, products can be sold to scrap metal merchants
for recycling or directly to end-users for melting.
Steel and iron are
commonly reclaimed from car bodies and engines, disused household or
industrial equipment and building materials. Most household steel scrap
is in the form of human and pet food cans. Scrap metal dealers may take
clean, de-labelled cans but may not be able to offer significant payment
for them.
Amongst waste streams prevailing at demolition sites, the non-ferrous
metal waste metal stream is arguably the most lucrative for reclaimers of
waste and waste recycle merchants.
Aluminium
A lot of energy is used to produce primary aluminium from bauxite. Once
in metallic form, aluminium can be recycled indefinitely.
Recycling
aluminium uses only 5 percent of the energy needed to produce new
aluminium. This saves coal in energy production in power stations and
reduces atmospheric emissions.
When aluminium is to be recycled, it is good practice to place it in a
recycling bin, instead of wheelie bins. Foreign objects should be removed
(e.g. straws) as they may ruin new aluminium.
Lead, Copper and Brass
Lead can be recycled from old car batteries. Copper can be extracted
from hot water systems, copper pipes or old car radiators.
Electric
cabling and wiring contains copper and aluminium, which can be
recycled. The plastic coating found on some wiring can be removed by
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metal recyclers in a process called 'granulation'. Using this process, the
plastic is removed and the copper, aluminium and any steel present are
separated magnetically for recycling.
Brass retrieved from old household fittings can be restored for use in
houses.
Phase of
The disposal option avails itself generally at project demolition stages
Development
with small amounts being generated during maintenance stage.
Cost
Cost considerations for running a waste metal stream are very Low as
Implications
vendors will provide any equipment necessary to extract a required
metal. Further, metal remains intact when “ripped” off other binding
constituents. Amongst waste streams prevailing at demolition sites, the
non-ferrous metal waste metal stream is arguably the most lucrative for
reclaimers of waste and waste recycle merchants.
In Gauteng, reused metal prices from scrap metal merchants are in the
vicinity of;
Level of
Iron and stainless steel
R1.80/kg
Aluminium
R12/kg
Brass
R30/kg
Copper
R40/kg
Lead
R12/kg
The level of technology needed to operate is also very Low.
Technology
50
7.7.9 Glass
Glass
Options
Glass is 100 percent recyclable.. Glass is effectively reused in many
countries by local beer brewing and bottling facilities and soft drink
manufacturers. Glass beverage containers can only be reused a number
of times and there is waste glass produced in other product packaging.
Glass is one recyclable material for which recycling may only be marginal
as a revenue raising exercise, but should be considered anyway as a
means of minimising the requirements for disposal to landfill.
Recycling glass has environmental benefits. Less energy is used and
less air emissions are generated through recycling glass than
manufacturing glass totally from new (virgin) materials. Other than
reusing beer glass and soft drink bottles, these can be used for the
manufacture of artworks from melted glass products as well as for
crushing to gravel (in the US this is used as road construction
aggregate).
Glass pulverisers can also be used to crush glass into a gravel mix for
such uses as gravel for pipe laying and sand in pre-mix concrete.
Production of gravel from glass products is an alternative which should
be given consideration due to the low economic return from glass
recycling (and the relatively high cost of gravel).
Glass collected for recycling needs to be carefully sorted as small
amounts of contamination (even with other glass colours) can spoil large
volumes of otherwise recyclable glass. Other contaminants such as
ceramics china plates and cups can ruin a batch of glass because they
melt at a different rate to glass and can weaken the recycled glass.
Finally, contaminants such as lids, corks and caps should be removed
whilst labels can remain.
Phase of
Glass will normally be recycled during the project maintenance and
Development
demolition stages.
51
Cost
Glass is bought by reuse merchants in the Gauteng Province for
Implications
approximately R0.30/kg, preferably in a crushed and colour assorted
state. Beverage glass is more desirable in the industry.
Level of
In the drive to divert waste materials from landfill, glass although not
Technology
biologically active is often an obvious choice for recycling as it is both
bulky and heavy. It is also well established in the public mind as being
recyclable. Yet in many instances the volumes generated are often very
small and the consequential costs of collecting and transporting
segregated glass can often be prohibitive and discouraging.
The industry is well developed, sophisticated in re-processing and
requires good ties with big industry in order to work.
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7.7.10
Paper and Cardboard
Paper and Cardboard
Options
Paper
recycling
involves
de-inking,
bleaching
and
re-pulping.
Newspapers can be de-inked and used to make newsprint, box board, or
moulded pulp products such as egg trays. For purposes of recycling,
paper can be categorized as:
· Broke
Paper that has been discarded anywhere in the manufacturing process. It
is usually returned to a re-pulping unit for reprocessing.
· Corrugated paper
Heavy paperboard, moulded into parallel ridges and grooves.
· High-grade waste
Waste paper that is the most valued in the market place. High-grade
paper includes trimming and cuttings from converting plants, computer
printouts, tabulating cards and desk-top paper. High-grade waste paper
is often collected in offices.
· Kraft Paper
A comparatively coarse paper particularly noted for its strength and made
primarily from wood pulp produced by the sulphate pulping process.
· Mixed office papers
Mixed waste paper that is generated in offices and has high recycling
value.
· Newsprint
The kind of paper generally used for printing newspaper.
· Waste Paper
Discarded paper. This paper can be used again as a recyclable material
if the grade of the paper is acceptable and if the paper enters the waste
stream.
Pulp
Fibre material that is produced by chemical or mechanical means from
fibrous cellulose raw material from which paper and paperboard are
made.
· Pulp substitutes
A paper industry term that refers to a grade of recyclable paper that is
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print free
Phase of
Paper reuse and application is suitable for all stages in project
Development
development; design, construction, maintenance and demolition.
Cost
Used paper currently retails for about R1.10/kg in the Gauteng Province.
Implications
Level of
Reusing paper is a Low technology industry (for the building and
Technology
demolition site operator –this dramatically changes downstream of the
value chain) and requires only the allocation of suitable containers at the
appropriate location for paper generation such as printers in offices. The
paper needs to preferably be packed according to type, e.g. cardboard,
printer paper, etc. It needs compacting ideally into bales in order to
minimize transport costs to re-processing mills. What are the costs of a
baler, etc? Where can one sourced from – are these offered free by
recycling companies?
54
7.7.11
Plastics
Plastics
Options
There are more than 60 types of recyclable plastics. The two types of
plastic most commonly recycled are PET (polyethylene terephthalate)
and HDPE (high density polyethylene). PET is commonly used for soft
drink packaging and HDPE is used to make plastic milk and detergent
bottles.
There also exist high levels of reuse for polypropylene (PP), polystyrene
(PS) and polyvinylchloride (PVC). These are possible for recycling if
these materials are collected separately and clean. Recycling is difficult if
plastic wastes are mixed with other plastics or contaminants. The scope
for high level recycling is limited due to the deterioration in properties of
old plastic. Virgin material has to be added for recycling.Other types of
plastic can be recycled, but are not recycled in the same
quantities.
Different types of plastic must generally be kept separate for recycling.
South African plastics recyclers generally prefer clear low density plastic
as used in packaging and beverage bottles. The re-processing industry
for high density plastics such as HDPE, uPVC, PP, etc, is still very
specialized.
Phase of
Plastic reuse and application is suitable for all stages in project
Development
development; design, construction, maintenance and demolition.
Cost
Used plastic currently retails for about R1.30/kg in the Gauteng Province.
Implications
This price is applicable for clear plastic that can be baled or shredded.
Level of
Reusing plastic is a Low technology industry (for the building and
Technology
demolition site operator –this dramatically changes downstream of the
value chain) and requires only the allocation of suitable containers at the
appropriate location for paper generation such as printers in offices. The
plastic needs to preferably be packed according to type, colour and
density. It needs compacting ideally into bales in order to minimize
transport costs to re-processing mills. See comment above for paper –
applies here.
55
7.7.12 Drywalling
Drywalling
Options
Drywall is made from a widespread colourless, white, or yellowish
mineral, hydrous sulphate of lime, used in the manufacture of plaster of
Paris, various plaster products, and fertilizers.
Phase of
Planning for the recovery and reuse of drywalling can be implemented at
Development
any stage of a project (design, construction, maintenance and
demolition). To minimize waste, it should be ordered in optimal
dimensions to ensure minimal cut-off waste.
Drywall is available in different lengths, and designed dimensions should
ideally correspond to standard sizes. Large drywall scraps can also be
set aside, in marked designated areas, for use as filler pieces in small
hidden areas.
Where possible, it is a good idea to work with suppliers to reduce waste
on products by buying back unused product.
Cost
In recovery and reuse, drywall requires Low cost inputs and is a Low
Implications
technology intervention that is dependent on the skills level of artisans
working with the product.
A partition wall in Johannesburg bought by a reuse merchant will cost
approximately R30 (1.2 x 1.8m).
Level of
Drywall, alternately called, Gypsum Wallboard (GWB), Sheet rock and
Technology
Plasterboard is a very well mature technology in the construction
industry. The reuse of drywall products is fairly easy and is dependant on
the versatility (and experience) of artisans. They will typically rely on
normal carpentry tools. The prevalence of proprietary products can speed
up installation and makes the drywall industry stand its own in
performance and installation efficiency.
56
7.7.13 Building Disassembly
Building Disassembly
Options
Significant waste minimisation targets can also be realised through a
conscious decision by draughtsmen, architects and designers to use
construction components in a building that can be disassembled once a
structure has reached its design lifetime.
On the other hand, many progressive demolition firms, given the right
disposal costs, labor rates, ready markets, and sufficient job time, have
taken to stripping out highly accessible recyclables or re-usables before
demolition. Demolition firms, contractors specializing in building salvage,
and private/public property owners now disassembly and salvage
common building materials such as brick, framing lumber, hardwood
flooring, windows, doors, and other assorted fixtures.
These materials can be sold and re-used, and in South Africa, in
particular, the materials find ready application in low cost housing.
Phase of
Building disassembly considerations can be incorporated at project
Development
design stage, at project maintenance and finally, at demolition stage.
Cost of
Cost considerations are frequently classifiable as Low due to the
Alternative
modular construction nature of structures and the associated labour cost
savings.
Level of
The level of technology intervention in building disassembly is generally
Technology
low. The artisan skill requirement, conversely, has to be relatively high.
The prevalence of proprietary products can speed up installation and
makes the drywall industry stand on its own in performance and
installation efficiency. Secures and insures a flush application every time.
This design allows a clean finish around the device.
57
7.7.14 Registry for Waste Management Practitioners
Registry for Waste Management Practitioners
Options
Significant waste minimisation targets can also be realised through a
conscious decision by municipal managers and landfill managers to
establish a registry for all persons that are engaged in or operate waste
management services.
Further, a professional body needs to be established for waste
management practitioners. This would help to foster a culture of ethics
and professionalism in the industry and would help improve the image of
the industry to the public.
Phase of
This intervention is suitable for the demolition stage in the building/
Development
demolition cycle as waste management companies generally deal with
waste resulting from demolition processes.
Cost of
Cost implications for incorporating this intervention are Low but the start-
Implications
up period may take some time as either;

a group of like minded people need to get together, set up
common objectives and then start the process of advertising and
consolidating respondents, or

a driven authority needs to research how similar organisations
have been set up, obtain buy-in from appropriate authorities and
start setting up the body.
Level of
The level of technology in this intervention is Low as this is a peer driven
Technology
professional initiative.
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7.8
General Principles
Although beyond the scope of this document, it is important to mention that
organizations/institutions wishing to initiate waste minimisation programs need to
develop Waste Minimisation Plans. A Waste Minimisation Plan is a simple checklist that
provides the institution’s management board with information about;
a) the waste streams,
b) respective volumes of waste generated,
c) reuse and recycle options,
d) disposal options, and
e) ongoing treatment of building and demolition waste
The Waste Management Plan should generally show that;
a) The potential for waste is avoided,
b) Where possible, waste is reduced on site,
c) Waste that cannot be reused on site is separated and recycled,
d) Waste with no reuse or recycling potential is disposed of at an authorised/
permitted landfill site.
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8
REFERENCES
1. Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (1998) Minimum Requirements for the
Handling, Classification and Disposal of Hazardous Waste, 2nd ed.
2. Department of Environmental Affairs, National Environmental Management:
Waste Bill (Draft Document)
3. Gauteng Provincial Government (June 2004), Gauteng State of the Environment
Report.
4. Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environmental Affairs
(GDACE), (2006) Gauteng Provincial Integrated Waste Management Policy
5. Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environmental Affairs
(GDACE),(2007) Gauteng Waste Minimization Strategy,2007
6. Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environmental Affairs
(GDACE), Gauteng General Waste Collection Standards (Draft Document)
7. Horn, A (August 2000). Junk Architecture: Towards and Ecology of Recycling!
8. Leigh, N.G., and Patterson, L.M. (2004). Construction & Demolition Debris
Recycling for Environmental Protection and Economic Development, Southeast
Regional Environmental Finance Center, EPA Region 4, University of Louisville.
9. National Environmental Management: Waste Act 2008 (Act 59, 2008)
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9
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author(s) would like to gratefully extend acknowledgements to the following
people/institutions (in no order of significance) who have contributed in the compilation
of this guidelines document with insightful experience, comments, material resources
and/or otherwise;
Institution
Representative
Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Cecil Thenga;
Environment
Mukhari;
Loyiso
Lindokuhle
Mkwana;
Vilakazi;
Juliet
Zingisa
Smale.
City of Tshwane
Frans Dekker
Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality
Tony Pieterse
CSIR
Dr. Phil Page-Green
Pikitup
Neville Smith
Dumpit
Yusuf Hassim
Randfontein Local Municipality
Ms A Dreyer
Bombela JVC
Cyrus Kwani
City of Johannesburg
Palesa Mathibela
Mogale City
Wiseman Mzimba
Including all delegates who attended the Building and Demolition Waste Guidelines
Development Stakeholder Engagement Workshop held in Johannesburg on the 5th
March 2008.
61
APPENDIX 1: ADDITIONAL BUILDING AND DEMOLITION WASTE STREAM
DEFINITIONS CONTAINED IN LOCAL AUTHORITY BYLAWS
Additional statutory definitions of building-related waste streams generally exist in terms
of the following Gauteng Province local authority’s bylaws:

In terms of the City of Johannesburg’s Waste Management Bylaws, building and
demolition waste is defined as “all waste produced during the construction,
alteration, repair or demolition of any structure, and includes concrete, earth,
vegetation and rock displaced during such construction, alteration, repair or
demolition”;

The City of Tshwane defines builders waste as that “generated by demolition,
excavation or building activities on premises”; and

The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality defines builders refuse as “refuse
generated by demolition, excavation or building activities on premises”;
62
APPENDIX 2: REGULATIONS UNDER SECTION 24(5) OF THE NATIONAL
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ACT 107 OF 1998: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ASSESSMENT REGULATIONS & IDENTIFICATION OF ACTIVITIES AND
COMPETENT AUTHORITIES UNDER SECTION 24 OF THE ACT
63