Minnesota street department recycles metals and wood during demolition project

The street department in Albert Lea, Minnesota, is demolishing a former storage building and apartment to make room for the expansion of the Albert Lea City Garage, a report by the Albert Lea Tribune says.

According to the report, the demolition is taking place between periods of snow and ice removal to save direct costs of using an outside contractor for the project. Demolition debris was segregated into piles based on material and recycled during the demolition.

The report says steel siding and roofing were stripped and recycled while usable lumber was stripped and will be used on city projects such as concrete framework. According to the report, 17 truckloads of demolition debris and nine truckloads of metal recycling were diverted from landfill.

The city was able to get $1,400 from metal recycling, the report says.

The first phase of the expansion includes converting two break rooms into additional storage and workspace and adding another break room, the report says. Phase two will add fleet space to the garage for city vehicles and improve flow for all vehicles. A salt storage shed will also be added.

Demolition of the buildings began and mid-January and is expected to end around late February.