North Carolina County Implements Ordinance Targeting Construction & Demolition Debris

Chatham County, N.C., recently adopted a Construction & Demolition (C&D) Recycling ordinance that seeks to reduce the amount of construction and demolition debris delivered to landfills in the state.

The ordinance, which went into effect Sept. 1, 2010, applies to any C&D projects that is 1,000 square feet or greater within the county’s unincorporated areas. Projects that fall under the ordinance include construction, demolition, deconstruction, repairs, remodels, additions or any other related activity requiring a building permit.

The ordinance requires that a C&D Recycling Document must be completed and signed by the Chatham County Waste Management Department before a building permit will be issued for relevant projects. The document asks applicants to provide details on the C&D debris they expect to generate and how it will be handled.

The ordinance also stipulates that mixed C&D debris must be transported by a C&D hauler licensed by the county. Licensed haulers have agreed to take mixed C&D debris to a licensed C&D facility with a demonstrated recycling rate of at least 30 percent. There currently is no fee to apply for a license.

A list of licensed C&D haulers and facilities, applications and all requirements are available on the Waste Management Department’s Web site at http://www.chathamnc.org/Index.aspx?page=1384.

Companies separating C&D material at the site are required to report how much material was salvaged and where it was taken. The Waste Management Department is building a database of local organizations that will take materials for reuse, recycling, or composting. It will eventually include resources for green building, deconstruction, and waste reduction.

To review the ordinance in its entirety, click here http://chathamnc.org/Index.aspx?page=1372