ENVIRONMENTAL
POLICY
STATEMENT
March 7, 2013
1.0
INTRODUCTION AND RECYCLING GOAL
Atlanta Demolition (ADS) is an Atlanta-based demolition, environmental and recycling
firm that is a U.S. Small Business Association small business. Utilizing traditional practices as
well as emerging technologies, pioneering environmental stewardship has been central to the
company’s culture and practices since its founding. This innovative approach, made possible by
the founders’ extensive experience with regulatory requirements and environmental law, not
only promotes sustainability but most often reduces costs.
Atlanta Demolition has a long history of delivering successful large-scale demolition
projects in and around Atlanta and the southeast, and has handled some of the larger and more
difficult projects in Atlanta over the last five years. Our recent representative projects include the
implosion and 96% recycling of the former Roosevelt Tower across North Avenue from Georgia
Tech, the implosion and 93% recycling of the former IBM facility on Northside Parkway to make
room for the new North Atlanta High School, and the demolition and 95% recycling of the former
Hughes Spalding Children’s Hospital for Grady Health Services.
Although full scale reuse, recycling and sustainability is still relatively new to the
demolition industry, Atlanta Demolition has long been a pioneer in the market sector and has
recycled in excess of 90% of each demolition project performed over the past four years.
2.0
ADS COMPANY PHILOSOPHY ON SUSTAINABILITY
ADS’ waste management policies and practices are interwoven with all our operating
and compliance principles and are consistent with our overall company-wide sustainability
initiatives. It is ADS’ corporate goal to achieve at a minimum a Silver LEED Status for all
projects we perform. We frequently achieve gold or platinum levels depending on the specific
project parameters and conditions.
Our waste management approach is based on the principle of addressing the 4Rs:




Reduce
Reuse
Recycle
Renew
Reduce – Effect how the generation of “wastes” can be prevented.
Reuse – After the determination of how waste generation can be prevented, wastes that can be
salvaged are identified for reuse on the current project, reuse on another project, sold, or
donated.
Recycle – Determination of which waste materials/assets can be recycled.
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Renew – All wastes and materials are evaluated in their totality to determine if they can be
renewed and/or innovatively incorporated into the design of project operations and execution
(such as backfilling, aggregate, landscaping, compost, or mulch).
Reduce – At ADS we strongly believe that waste prevention is more beneficial and cost
effective than recycling. Therefore our staff is well trained in identifying potential waste early in
the project planning process which allows us to properly manage and decrease waste
generated during demolition/deconstruction/dismantlement.
Reuse – Whenever feasible, ADS will maximize the beneficial reuse options applicable to
industrial, commercial, and institutional generators and users of solid by-products (waste) and
sanitary landfills utilizing alternative cover material.
Reuse is generally available to solid by-products that are being disposed of as solid waste in
a Georgia landfill, and that meet certain requirements as described in this summary.
Wastes/operations that are NOT eligible include:



waste that has already been landfill-disposed,
land application of solid waste, and
solid waste processing operations or solid waste composting.
The utilization of solid by-products as resources when such use improves, or at a minimum
does not adversely affect, human health and the environment is economically beneficial to both
the generator of the waste and the end user. Reuse also decreases the amount of solid waste
entering landfills. Issuance of a beneficial use determination by the GAEPD relieves the
generator and user(s) of Georgia solid waste requirements specifically noted in the written
determination.
As part of our sustainability efforts and to achieve the highest potential LEED status for a
project, ADS will select the best option for managing a project’s waste; consider the value of the
various materials. For instance, there may be materials on a project that have a greater value
“as is” for salvage compared to their value as material for recycling. Some of these materials
may be valuable to reuse on-site; others may be donated or sold to a used building material
retailer or charitable organization. The initial costs for deconstruction services are usually offset
by returns from salvaged materials or reduced purchasing costs. Some deconstruction services
may also give a tax deduction for materials that are donated. In some cases, reused materials
may also provide functional or aesthetic features not available with new materials. There are
two ways to recover materials for salvage and reuse:
1. Deconstruct the building; or
2. Conduct a selective salvage operation prior to demolition.
Deconstruction involves the careful dismantling of a whole structure in reverse order of
assembly, usually by hand, to re-harvest materials for reuse. Salvage is the removal of certain
valuable reusable building materials before demolition.
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3.0
QUALITY ASSURANCE FOR WASTE PLAN AND DISPOSAL ACTIVITIES
ADS will conduct waste management activities in compliance with EPA and all state laws,
rules, regulations; local ordinances; and clients’ as well as our own internal policies and
procedures.
The key elements of the Waste Management Plan will be part of the post-award/pre-work
meeting where we anticipate reviewing methods and procedures related to waste management
including but not limited to the following:
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



3.1
waste management plan;
requirements for documenting quantities of each type of waste and its disposition;
finalization of procedures for materials separation and verification availability of
containers and bins needed to avoid delays;
procedures for periodic waste collection and transportation to recycling and disposal
facilities; and
waste management requirements for each waste stream and for each trade.
Waste Management Report
ADS will also develop a Waste Management Report which will include the submission of a
cumulative waste management report including the following:




a record of the type and quantity, by weight, of each material salvaged, reused, recycled
or disposed;
total quantity of waste recycled as a percentage of total waste;
disposal receipts (copies of receipts issued by a disposal facility for C & D waste that is
disposed in a landfill);
recycling receipts (copies of receipts issued by an approved recycling facility)
For co-mingled materials, ADS will include weight tickets from the recycling hauler or
material recovery facility and verification of the recycling rate for co-mingled loads at the facility.
Salvaged materials documentation will include the types and quantities, by weight, for
materials salvaged for reuse on site, sold or donated to a third party.
4.0
SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainable remediation and demolition/deconstruction can be defined as the practice of
considering all environmental effects of logistical and operational remedy/demolition
implementation while incorporating options to minimize the environmental footprints of our
operations. ADS’ operations take into account not only the remedial action required, but also our
ongoing operations before, during, and after the demolition operation.
The following are some of the ADS’ key sustainability principles which we incorporate into all of
our project planning:

maximizing of recyclable and reusable materials;

minimizing of wastes;

minimizing of landfill/disposal facility capacity;
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 minimizing of carbon footprint resulting from project operations;
 minimizing of vehicle/truck conveyances;
 maximizing of renewable and cleaner sources of energy;
 maximizing use of “green”/post-consumer recycled products and materials;
 development of a sustainable site topographic restoration design which minimizes import
materials (and associated efforts such as hauling and installation) needed;
 maximizing of water conservation techniques;
 implementation of sustainable post-design of principles for reuse of remediated land;
and
 minimizing of air emissions as well as greenhouse gas generation.
These key elements are also flow-down principles that we pass on to our team members
and our subcontractors.
The demolition and decommissioning of facilities offer some unique opportunities to
demonstrate how important sustainability is to our environment and the success of our
operations. The success of our operations begins in the planning phase (review the Post Award
Submittals) and carries through to the final decommissioning of the facility and returning the site
back to the owners in a truly sustainable status.
With this philosophy in mind, we are committed to seamlessly integrating health, safety,
environmental and sustainability considerations into all aspects of our projects to achieve a
measurable net benefit to all stakeholders and achieve the project goal of attaining LEED Silver
for this project.
The planning phase actually starts during the proposal process when all of the alternatives
are considered and we actually begin to address how each waste stream will be minimized and
managed. All of the planning culminates in the final Waste Management Plan. It is prepared
directly from the specifications of the solicitation. Considerations include the following:

Estimate types and quantities of demolition waste generated during each phase of the
project;

Identify how each waste stream will be sensibly minimized, managed, marketed, and/or
disposed of;

Provide an estimate of the overall job recycling rate;

Lay out plans for training, meetings, and other communications related to job-site waste
and material reduction and management; and

Provide troubleshooting instructions and contact information.
Examples of the breakdown of materials by type and the information collected for each of the
materials are shown in the following table. The table also illustrates the type of information
that will be routinely be collected to document the project-recycling rate.
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TABLE 1 – TYPICAL EXAMPLE SUSTAINABILITY TABLE
MATERIAL
TONS
RECYCLING
COST
AVOIDED
DISPOSAL COSTS
SAVINGS
NR Materials and
Debris
XX
$
$
$
Ferrous Metals
XX
$
$
$
Non-ferrous Metals
XX
$
$
$
Concrete
XX
$
$
$
Block & Brick
XX
$
$
$
Reuse Items
XX
$
$
($)
RECYCLING TOTALS
XX
$
$
$
Mixed Debris to
Disposal
XX
PROJECT
RECYCLING RATE
XX%
Records of all materials reused, removed, and/or transported off-site will be maintained
to complete the post-closure report and document the value of the recycling efforts. It is
impossible to prove the value of waste reduction and recycling without good documentation.
With these elements in mind, at the completion of the project, the ADS will provide a
“Scorecard of Sustainable Accomplishments” of this project for both the company and the
customer. The scorecard will provide, Impact on the Environment, Health and Safety
Record, and the Economics of the project with a focus on Sustainability features of the
project.
5.0
PRELIMINARY
PLANNING
SUSTAINABILITY
AND
SAFETY
CONSIDERATIONS
FOR
Our sustainability planning process has already begun with a complete review of the
project documents (available to date) and site visits to determine where ADS can make the
most sustainable impacts on the project. Our approach will be refined upon award and in the
course of a comprehensive and detailed waste and material survey.
An estimate of the type and quantity of each material that can be reused or recycled has
will be included in the plan for each project. The recycling rate will be reconciled with actual bills
of lading at the conclusion of the project for the determination of the final recycling rate.
ADS also considers the environmental impacts of our operations – among others - from:
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

Direct emissions:
o
Stationary combustion sources;
o
Mobile equipment and project offices;
o
Transportation of materials and wastes to and from the site;
o
Mobilization to and from the project site;
o
Travel and lodging;
o
Electricity consumption;
o
Purchased materials; and
o
Landfill impacts.
Indirect emissions:
o
Corporate office emissions;
o
Material energy;
o
Greenhouse gases;
o
Water footprint; and
o
Recycling of on-site materials.
Two items that substantially reduce the air emissions will be the use of ultra-low sulfur diesel
or bio-diesel in our equipment and the amount of time the equipment is allowed to idle. The use
of low-sulfur typically reduces the emissions of:

particulate matter by 14%;

nitrogen oxides by 3%;

carbon monoxide by 6%; and

hydrocarbons by 13%.
Unnecessary equipment idling emits excess greenhouse gases, wastes fuel, causes excess
engine wear, and can increase project costs. ADS’ corporate policies require the consideration
of both of these sustainability measures.
Segregation of the materials will improve the quality and quantity of material collected and
recycled. Items being collected and segregated for reuse and recycling will be temporarily
stored in designated areas until full vehicle/trailer loads of recycled materials can be removed
from the site. This process will improve the segregation of materials and reduce the greenhouse
emissions, increase safety, and minimize the carbon footprint of the project by eliminating
excess vehicular traffic on the site.
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6.0
RECOVERY OF IDENTIFIED RESOURCES OF REUSE AND RECYCLING
We have developed an extensive network of used-equipment and material buyers,
brokers and end users to maximize recycling and reuse resulting in the highest value for their
material and thus lowest costs to our clients. ADS has developed a demolition plan that will
allow us to identify and remove the recoverable materials from the structure during the predemolition phase of the project and move them off-site as quickly as possible. These materials
will be segregated at the site as quickly and efficiently as possible. For example, we will
segregate the recyclable material and store them in segregated piles until a full load can be
accommodated, thereby reducing the trips required for removal of the materials and reducing
the carbon footprint being developed during the project.
7.0
PROJECT CLOSEOUT AND REPORTING
As the project nears the end ADS will request a meeting to discuss the final phases of
the project and items such as the site grading and landscaping discussed above will be
coordinated to assure that all aspects of the project are being planned and executed according
to the contract specifications and the stakeholders’ expectations.
This document is intended to detail the project operations and removal activities as well
as all aspects of the segregation of material, recoverable assets, recyclables, and wastes to
maximize the projects sustainability goals. During the project execution and especially during
the recyclable material removal, the collection and analysis of the material disposition will be
critical to making adjustments in how the materials are disposed of or reused so that the project
sustainability goals are achieved.
Communication of the project sustainability goals with all of the project team is critical to
gaining support for achieving the goals. As each new phase of the project is initiated, all team
members will be briefed on how each phase impacts the sustainability requirements. During
these critical change-over periods all appropriate individuals will work closely together to make
sure all recycling efforts are being monitored and adjusted in an attempt to achieve the LEED
Silver status for the project.
The success of achieving the sustainability goals for the project will be measured by the
success of the recycling and reuse of as many components/materials/wastes as possible. The
success will be reflected in the “Scorecard of Sustainable Accomplishments”.
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