Yes. Disposing of concrete and drywall can put you between a rock and a hard place. Since most haulers and landfills charge fees based on weight, you can easily rack up hundreds of dollars in fees to toss unwanted concrete. Drywall, especially if it’s contaminated, can require extra precautions (and extra costs) for proper disposal. Though recycling concrete and drywall isn’t as simple as a standard curbside pickup, it can help your business avoid high disposal or handling costs when managed properly.

Regulations vary across the country when it comes to managing drywall or concrete. Many states ban the materials from landfills or impose recycling requirements. For example, in New Jersey, contractors in specific counties are required to recycle their concrete for future road construction projects. And California has banned drywall from being incinerated or disposed of in landfills. Rubicon knows it can be a lot to monitor, so we help our customers keep track of regulations and requirements in their local area.

Drywall may be easy to tear down, but tossing it out isn’t — especially for demolition projects in older homes and buildings. It’s a material that can easily be contaminated by asbestos, mold or moisture, or even lead. If drywall becomes wet or is burned, it can produce noxious gasses. Before disposing of your drywall, it’s important to check for potential contaminants or else you could be looking at fines and public health concerns. If you do find your drywall is contaminated, you’ll need to treat it as a hazardous waste.

In demolition projects involving a lot of concrete, it may be useful to invest in a crushing machine for easier recycling. If you’re interested in earning LEED certification, an on-site crushing machine can also help you reuse your own concrete to earn credits. However, for smaller scale projects, renting or purchasing the necessary equipment can be quite costly. For medium to small sized projects, you can leave the heavy burden of recycling to us. Rubicon works with haulers and facilities across the country to find the best pricing for removal and recycling.

With today’s global sand shortage (a key ingredient used to make concrete), aggregate concrete is one of the most in-demand recycled materials. It’s just as durable as new concrete, and it’s cheaper to purchase. Recycled drywall also has its perks. Pulverized gypsum, the material that makes up drywall, is used for soil amendments since it can improve water penetration and neutralize soil acidity. From roads to gardens, your construction debris can be reused in a variety of ways and for many different markets.