Starting in 2010, Wisconsin’s Div. of State Facilities will require contractors to recycle construction and demolition waste generated on many of its projects.

The new requirement applies to State of Wisconsin construction projects worth more than $5 million and all significant demolition projects. It starts with projects advertised for bid after January 1, 2010.

The new policy will reduce waste disposal costs, conserve landfill space and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

It grew out of a unique partnership in which nonprofit WasteCap Resource Solutions (formerly WasteCap Wisconsin) worked with the Dept. of Administration’s Division of State Facilities (DSF) under a contract with the Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) to develop methods, standards and trained staff for successful, measured C&D debris recycling on state projects.

The six pilot sites included:

UW Madison Biochemistry Phase II , in which JH Findorff & Son Inc. recycled 99.1% and diverted 25,592 tons.

UW Parkside New Residence Hall, in which J.P. Cullen & Sons Inc. recycled 60% and diverted 334 tons.

UW Stevens Point Baldwin Hall Renovation, in which Ellis Stone recycled 90.7% and diverted 231 tons.

UW Superior Rothwell Student Center Replacement, in which Immel Construction recycled 95.8% and diverted 1,339 tons.

UW Whitewater Hyland Hall demolition, in which Miron Construction and Zenith Industrial Services recycled 97.7% and diverted 13,694 tons.

UW Whitewater Hyland Hall construction, in which Miron Construction recycled 65.7% and diverted 581 tons.

“By any measure, this effort has been a success,” said Dave Haley, State Chief Architect and Deputy Director of the Bureau of Architecture and Engineering for the Department of Administration. “Every pilot project exceeded the 50% goal, and many of the contractors that recycled on these projects are now recycling on other projects where they are not required to recycle. These projects have an average 84.8% recycling rate and have diverted 41,771 tons of material to date—the equivalent of removing 1,500 cars from the road for one year.”

Jenna Kunde, executive director of WasteCap, says that if C&D reuse and recycling becomes part of the way contractors do business with the state, they might use C&D recycling on other projects, too.

Tim Andrew, senior project manager of Miron Construction Co., Inc., one of the contractors involved in the pilot projects, said the experience has helped to change the way his company operates. “Miron is now recycling on all of our construction projects, regardless of project-specific recycling requirements” he said. ”The costs of implementing a construction waste management plan are offset with the savings in avoiding landfill disposal fees.”