The Canadian province of Manitoba is working in partnership with the Manitoba Home Builders’ Association (MHBA) and the Manitoba Environmental Industries Association (MEIA) to encourage more recycling of construction materials by funding a two-year construction waste pilot project, according to Sustainable Development Minister Cathy Cox.
“Manitoba is committed to the goal of reducing the amount of waste heading to landfills,” Cox says. “We look forward to working with the new home construction sector to find new business opportunities that will see waste materials recycled rather than entering our landfills.”
A release issued by Minister Cox notes that construction, renovation and demolition activities generate about 30 percent of the waste entering Manitoba’s landfills. Funding of $50,000 for the two-year pilot project will help encourage more recycling by demonstrating the feasibility of recycling new home construction materials, identifying potential cost savings and other benefits.
Mike Moore, president of the MHBA, says, “We are very interested in identifying ways for our members to divert more waste from the landfill. We all have a role to play, and we look forward to investigating the economics of recycling waste from new home construction.”
The pilot project will measure the weight and types of waste materials generated during new home construction, determine the costs of recycling relative to disposal and identify companies capable of recycling construction waste such as shingles, drywall, plastics, cardboard and wood.
Another key part of the study is to determine what markets are currently available for the recycling of building materials, the minister adds. Developing these markets will help promote local economic growth, create green jobs, encourage the development of a green procurement process in the construction sector and find new uses for waste materials.
“We are thrilled at the prospect of advancing environmental opportunities for local businesses,” says Jason Combe, president, MEIA. “We look forward to helping identify reuse and recycling options for home builders that want to see more of their material diverted from the landfill.”