Mid-Atlantic Municipal Solid Waste

Home Deconstruction in Philadelphia Proves Cost Competitive and Yields Reusable Materials
EPA Region 3, in conjunction with the Institute for Local Self-reliance (ISLR) , the Hamer Center at Penn State University, and the City of Philadelphia Neighborhood Transformation Initiative, conducted a project to assess the cost-effectiveness of an innovative approach to dismantle row house buildings. A mechanized and panelized approach to deconstruction allows for the most efficient reuse of roof and floor structural lumber, enabling quicker access to properties by redevelopers, and reducing overall costs by using a “hybrid” of hand and mechanized labor working together. This project was conducted as part of EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response Innovation Initiatives Program. For details about this project, see the Susquehanna Deconstruction Project and associated fact sheet on deconstruction for urban revitalization (PDF, 2 pp., 72 KB. About PDF) from that project.
Project Date: 2005

Deconstruction Job Training Program in Washington, D.C.
The Region 3 Sustainable Development Challenge Grant Program awarded a $50,000 grant to Sustainable Community Initiatives to train 10 low income residents of the Ivy City section of Washington, DC to deconstruct buildings. During their training, the grantees deconstructed 10 homes. The trainees recovered 8,100 pounds of housing materials during their training, including flooring, scrap metal, framing lumber, and appliances. After completing the training, the grantees went into business and have deconstructed a number of homes in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland. The grantees are also training residents from a nearby neighborhood in deconstruction.
Project Date: 2003

Building Deconstruction Seminar in Maryland
On December 3, 2003, the Mid-Atlantic Consortium of Recycling and Economic Development Officials (MACREDO) , an EPA Region 3 Solid Waste Program grantee, presented a discussion on deconstruction of buildings and recovery of building materials to the Maryland Green Building Network at EPA's offices in Annapolis, Maryland. Topics of discussion included the importance of having a market in place before retailing any reclaimed materials, and the various revenue streams which deconstruction contracts are based on. To learn more about deconstruction as opposed to demolition, please visit the ILSR Deconstruction Web site.
Project Date: 2003

Job Site Recycling and Building Deconstruction Seminar in Delaware
Based on the success of a previous seminar in Philadelphia, the Mid-Atlantic Consortium of Recycling and Economic Development Officials (MACREDO) , an EPA Region 3 Solid Waste Program grantee, teamed up with the Delaware Valley Green Building Council and the AIA Philadelphia Committee on the Environment to hold a lecture and discussion about construction waste management, salvaging, and deconstruction. The audience consisted of Delaware School and State facility management people. Topics of discussion included cost effective ways to recycle C&D products that are generated on a daily basis including concrete, asphalt, brick, cinder block, statuary and other masonry products, as well as, trees, tree parts, and non-chemically treated wood. Representatives from the Institute for Local Self-reliance (ILSR) then discussed their experiences with recent deconstruction projects across the country focusing on military bases, private residences and public housing. To learn more about deconstruction as opposed to demolition, please visit the ILSR Deconstruction Web site.
Project Date: 2002

Job Site Recycling and Building Deconstruction Seminar in Philadelphia
The Mid-Atlantic Consortium of Recycling and Economic Development Officials (MACREDO) , an EPA Region 3 Solid Waste grantee, teamed up with the Delaware Valley Green Building Council and the AIA Philadelphia Committee on the Environment to hold a lecture and discussion about construction waste management, salvaging, and deconstruction. Topics of discussion included cost effective ways to recycle C&D products that are generated on a daily basis including concrete, asphalt, brick, cinder block, statuary and other masonry products, as well as, trees, tree parts, and non-chemically treated wood. Representatives from the Institute for Local Self-reliance (ILSR) then discussed their experiences with recent deconstruction projects across the country focusing on military bases, private residences and public housing. MACREDO also arranged follow-up meetings with the City of Philadelphia to discuss the possibility of including deconstruction as part of the City's "Neighborhood Transformation Initiative" that plans to demolish 14,000 abandoned houses by 2007. To learn more about deconstruction as opposed to demolition, please visit the ILSR Deconstruction Web site.
Project Date: 2002

Construction Reuse and Recycling Report
The Mid-Atlantic Consortium of Recycling and Economic Development Officials (MACREDO) received a grant from EPA Region 3 to develop an extensive report with case studies on C&D debris recycling and reuse. The report and case studies are available on the MACREDO Web site.
Project Date: 1996

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For information on state and local requirements and programs for C&D debris management, see EPA Region 3 State Links.