Canada produces about four million tonnes of Construction, Renovation, and Demolition (CRD) waste every year. Examples of CRD waste materials include concrete, wood, metals, glass, and plastic. About 20% of that waste is reused or recycled while the remaining 80% is disposed, mostly in landfills. Projects performed across Canada show that it is possible to divert as much as 95% of CRD waste through reuse and recycling. Diverting waste creates jobs. According to one estimate, there are 7 jobs for every 1,000 tonnes of waste diverted. Diverting CRD waste also means less waste heading to landfill sites that in some cases are almost full, reduced risk of pollutants causing harm to humans and natural ecosystems, and reduced carbon emissions due to less of a need to produce virgin construction materials.

To get more information on CRD waste in York Region we contacted Lindsay Milne, manager for sustainable waste management in Public Works for York Region. She described some of the advances York Region is making to address CRD waste. For instance, Community Environmental centres in Vaughan and Richmond Hill and the waste transfer station in Georgina allow residents and small businesses an opportunity to recycle clean drywall, untreated wood, and concrete for a fee.

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