12 Ways to Recycle Your Building Waste

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Building waste can take up tons of space in the landfill.  Whether you are building a new home, working on a small building project, or renovating, you are sure to have materials left over.  Instead of putting the waste on the curbside to be taken to the landfill, consider recycling.  Below are 12 ways to recycle your building waste.

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1. Measure Accurately – Focus on accuracy in measuring so you don’t have leftovers. How much you have left over depends on how accurately you make your measurements. Remember, measure twice, cut once!

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2. Donate it to Someone in Need – One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.  Habitat for Humanity is one organization that can put good use to your leftover building materials.  You can often call and they will even pick it up for your. You’ll also generally receive a tax deduction for your donation.

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3. Get Creative and Build Something Else With the Leftovers – You might have enough leftover 2x4s and drywall to build something useful, like a doghouse. Do something with the materials rather than just letting them go to waste. If you don’t want to keep the project, you can always sell it after it is complete.

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4. Save - If you have an upcoming project, save the building waste for a later date.  What you have now, you won’t have to buy in the future.

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5. Donate it To a School Wood Working Program in Your Area – There are schools in your area that teach wood working. If you have any good wood left over, donate it to the school so that students can get a first-hand experience in working with the product.

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6.Make Repairs to an Elderly Person’s Home in Your Area - Use your building waste to help others in need. If there are elderly people in your area that need help, your building waste will be perfect.  Offer to fix some repairs that may otherwise be left undone.

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7. Bring Them Back to the Store - If you have a good bit left over, the store that you bought it from may take it back. It’s worth a try to put cash back into your pocket. Right?

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8. Put Them on the Curb - While you don’t want them to go to the landfill, putting them on the curb may encourage someone who needs it to take it off of your hands.  Put a sign in front of the materials that says “free.”

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9. Use Social Media to Get the Word Out That You Have Leftovers - There is bound to be someone out there who can use it. Find them via your favorite social networking site.  Make a status update or posts stating what you have. You may even include a picture of the materials. First come, first serve.

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10. Take Them to Your Local Recycling Center – If the city you live in is big in recycling, there is likely already a program in place to take the materials.  Load them up and bring them to your local recycling center.

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11. Burn Old Wood That Cannot be Salvaged - Get rid of what you can instead of bringing it to the dump. Create a burn pile of materials that you are sure will burn.  Check your city’s law on burning within city limits before you light up a fire.  You don’t want to pay a hefty fine for trying to get rid of your building waste.

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12.Cash in on Copper and Other Valuable Materials - Some of your building waste may be worth money. If you have left over copper or metal, trade them in for cash.  You may not get a large sum of money but any money is better than no money at all.

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Listed above are 12 ways that you can recycle your building waste. Whether you are renovating your home or building a new one, you are sure to have materials left over. What will you do with them?

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This article is contributed by 1001Shops – a home of eco-freindly specialty products like Euphrates Jute rugs, contemporary bamboo mats, rugs made from seagrass and lot more.

By: Marina

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