The Department of Planning, Design, and Construction (PDC) recently rolled out a new pilot program in an attempt to diverge demolition and construction waste from capital construction projects that are overseen by the PDC.

The program aims to divert waste from the landfill and keep track of what has been recycled. It is a team effort between those in the PDC department and the outside contractor that is managing the project.

What constitutes waste in this department? Typically, this includes both demolition and construction waste. The main materials that are used and then recycled in construction are metal, cardboard, plastic, and concrete.

When a building is torn down, there are still materials that can be salvaged and used. When a building is erected, the excess and unused materials can be set aside and used for future projects.

Throughout the project, the team has to decide which excess materials will be set aside for later use and what will be recycled. Even packaging from materials can be recycled and diverted from the landfill.

The team has to keep materials separated as they cannot be recycled together. As the waste accumulates, it is placed in different dumpsters that are taken to local companies to be recycled.

According to Adam Shuler, Project Manager-Architect at MSU, the best thing students can contribute to the efforts of waste diversion in construction projects on campus is by offering their patience and understanding.

The dumpsters take up space, but it is a small price to pay for sustainable efforts of construction on campus.

While this is currently a pilot program, Shuler hopes that the PDC can expand it to make it the standard for construction at MSU.

This project satisfies Sustainable Development Goal #12, “Responsible Consumption and Production.”

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