Specifications include, but are not limited to: EPA estimates that approximately 600 million tons of construction & demolition (C&D) debris are generated in the United States annually, which is more than twice the amount of generated municipal solid waste. There are clear opportunities to break the cycle of demolishing usable buildings and wasting valuable materials to immediately build replacement structures with new building materials. The amount of resources and energy needed to manufacture new building materials is incredibly high and there is also significant pollution and waste generated throughout that production. Many buildings can be renovated or adaptively reused, preventing an entire building of materials from being landfilled or best case, recycled. Building materials can also be salvaged and reused if a structure is carefully unbuilt. These strategies decrease demand for new construction of buildings and extend the useful life of existing buildings and building materials, which supports the local economy and increases access to products and services. Investing in and raising awareness on the importance of building material waste prevention, reduction, and reuse is a priority for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).
