Construction and Demolition Debris

              TOGETHER WE CAN PROTECT AND ENHANCE THE ENVIRONMENT OF ILLINOIS
Illinois
Environmental
Protection
Agency
Information presented in this publication is intended to provide a general understanding of the statutory and regulatory
requirements governing construction and demolition debris. This information is not intended to replace, limit or expand
upon the complete statutory and regulatory requirements found in the Illinois Environmental Protection Act
and Title 35 of the Illinois Administrative Code.
Office of Small Business
Construction and
Demolition Debris
What is construction and demolition debris?
Construction and demolition (C&D) debris is nonhazard-ous,
uncontaminated material resulting from construction,
remodeling, repair, or demolition of utilities, structures,
and roads. These materials include the following:
• Bricks, concrete,
and other masonry
materials
• Soil
• Rock
• Wood, including
nonhazardous
painted, treated,
and coated wood
and wood products
• Wall coverings
• Plaster
• Drywall
• Plumbing fixtures
• Non-asbestos insulation
• Roofing shingles and other roof coverings
• Reclaimed asphalt pavement
• Glass
• Plastics that do not conceal waste
• Electrical wiring and components that do not
contain hazardous substances
• Piping
• Metal materials incidental to any of the materials
above
Why is C&D debris a problem?
Landfills are filling up with C&D and other wastes, and
some landfills will close in the near future; therefore, it is
wise to find other alternatives other than landfilling C&D
debris. In addition, illegal dumping of C&D debris can
result in future health risks, decreased property values,
and cleanup costs. Proper management and reduction
of the amount of C&D waste you generate can save money,
conserve resources, and preserve the environment.
How do I manage Asbestos?
Asbestos waste must be disposed of in an approved land-fill.
For more information see the “How Do I Manage
Asbestos” fact sheets and contact the Office of Small
Business for additional information on proper asbestos
disposal procedures.
How can I manage C&D debris?
The diagram below presents options for managing C&D
debris. When making a decision on how to manage your
C&D debris, the first option to consider is reduction and
the last option to consider is landfilling. Each of these
options is discussed below.
How do I reduce the amount of C&D
debris I generate?
Although it can be difficult, you can
reduce the amount of C&D debris
you generate by carefully estimat-ing
the amount of raw materials
needed for construction activities
at your site and making sure that the correct amount of
materials are brought to the site. The Illinois Department
of Commerce and Community Affairs (DCCA) “Construc-tion
and Demolition Site Recycling Guidebook” (Guide-book)
and “Construction and Demolition Site Recycling
Directory” (Directory) provide guidance on and resources
for C&D debris reduction, reuse, and recycling.
Reduction
Reuse
Recycling
Landfilling