Keeping Your Construction Site Clean And Green

According to Construction Specifications Canada, construction and demo waste makeup 23 percent of society’s overall waste and is the greatest producer of wood waste in North America. More than half of construction and demolition-related debris is recyclable or reusable and doesn’t need to end up in landfills. Builders may assume that environmentally friendly practices will hurt their bottom line, but waste diversion can reduce disposal costs by up to 30 percent!

TIPS FOR GREENING YOUR CONSTRUCTION SITE

1.       Set up a designated recycling station. Dedicate bins or a site area for diverting materials such as metal, cardboard, plastics, drywall, clean wood as well as reusable building materials. Not only does taking metal to the scrap yard keep these materials out of the landfill, you’ll generate funds to help pay for end-of-the-week beers or treats for the crew. It’s a win-win!

2.       Encourage designs that create less waste creation. Raise awareness of expected environmentally conscious waste management practices at the beginning of the project, we need to lead by example. Use standard sizes and qualities of materials and always plan ahead to reduce cut-offs and over-ordering, unless used items can be returned or donated.

3.       Think twice before you toss it. Could it be reused? Usable lumber up to 4 feet can be taken to not for profits such as Habitat for Humanity; Restore, Squamish ReBuild, Urban Repurpose, and Whistler Re-Build-It Centre - extra dimple mat or blue rigid insulation is also a great material to donate too. Give them a call and they will be sure to answer all your donation questions!

4.       Deconstruction is the future. Dismantle buildings rather than knock them down to increase the amount of undamaged materials that can be salvaged and donated.

5.       Reusable mugs and bottles DO make an impact. Invest in reusable mugs or bottles for your crew, since nearly half of the garbage collected on construction sites are from disposable coffee cups and single-use containers. As an extra step, supply a water service for your site. Less plastic water bottles the better!

6.       Be a recycling hero! Take the lead on-site. Download the Recycling Council of B.C.’s mobile Recyclepedia app. It’s a quick and simple tool that helps you find more than 1,000 drop-off locations and recycling options for over 70 materials or products across the province or give your local Recycling Hotline a call.

These small acts create big impacts towards keeping your construction site clean and green!

Sea to Sky Removal is the first waste hauling company in Canada to implement award-winning on-site recycling stations on construction sites to make sorting recyclables easier. Each of their recycling stations can divert nearly half a tonne (300 pounds) from the landfill, and our crews hand-sort every load to ensure the maximum tonnage of recyclables are diverted. We donate reusable materials to non-profits, such as Habitat for Humanity; ReStore. You can even request a waste audit and photo documentation, so you’ll know exactly where your materials end up.

As a financial incentive, keeping recyclables out of landfills reduces waste management costs.

Sea to Sky Removal Wins Small Business BC Award for Best Concept

We did it, our fruits of our labour finally have paid off! We won an award from Small Business BC for Best Concept as we have applied an environmentally-progressive approach to construction waste hauling. Our award winning recycling stations we set up on-site not only encourage forward-thinking waste diversion but also lead to a cleaner job sites. Around 300 pounds of recyclables can be diverted per recycling service!

The Small Business BC Awards is a celebration of B.C’s small businesses, their achievements, and their contributions to local and global economies. This five-month long competition began in October, when over 600 small businesses from 61 communities across B.C. were nominated. To find out more about the awards, read all about it here. 

We want to create more awareness and conversation around construction industry waste, with the ultimate goal of diverting recyclable materials from landfills. When it comes to sustainability, the industry needs a nudge in the right direction.

We are on a pioneering mission to change the construction industry’s waste disposal practices, and educate workers in the process. As part of our service, we provide recycling tutorials to crews who are used to tossing everything – plastic, wood, cardboard, carpet, stone – in a single trash bin. We even provide photo documentation and diversion percentage reports for Built Green and LEED projects, so contractors know exactly where materials end up. As an added incentive, we donate reusable items to non-profits like Habitat for Humanity, Urban Repurpose, Squamish Rebuild and the Whistler Re-Build-It-Centre. 

"Small businesses in BC are an integral part of our economy and community. Rogers Communications is proud to support the 15th Annual Small Business BC Awards and sponsor the Best Concept category. We congratulate the winners, Sky to Sky Removal, for turning their passion for a greener community into a business that is innovative and competitive.” – Jonathan Young, BC Retail Small Business Sales Manager at Rogers Communications

SEA TO SKY REMOVAL PROMOTES BEAR-PROOF BINS ON CONSTRUCTION SITES

When it comes to keeping your site clean and green you need to be aware of the critters who co-exist with and around us. Crows, ravens, chipmunks, squirrels, mice and rats will chew or pick through the garbage bags left out on site. These will attract bears, coyotes and other larger animals.

In order to prevent these visits, we highly recommend that your construction sites are free of food waste or have your food waste secured.

Food waste can be composted, but please keep this secure in case you have any furry visitors on your site. Being bear and critter aware is important!

With that said, our first solution is to have plywood boxes made with a hinged top that has double locks on it. The bins should be sized to accommodate two standard Rubbermaid bins. To save on costs, bins made by crew might be the best option. We will be able to service these as needed but expecting it to be weekly or bi-weekly depending on the size.

These bins should solely be used for the organic waste created. Wrappers or packaging will NOT go in these bins just organics to save space and make it so these bins can be recycled straight into organics at the landfill. We will provide your site with the compostable bin liners needed to make the disposal of these as affordable and efficient as possible. 

Next we recommend an actual bear-proof bin, which is able to be locked and can be rolled away and stored safely during the night. You order your bear-proof bin at Rollins Machinery Limited in Langley.

Lastly, the best practice is always “pack in and pack out” - This way there is absolutely no food waste left on your site.

Did you know that Whistler bucked BC wide bear-conflict trends this year? Read the latest about this as well about us keeping constructions sites free of food waste in this great article in Pique News Magazine!