Topic outline

  • Recycling of Construction and Demolition Debris - EPA Guidelines

    Credits: 3 PDH

    PDH Course Description:

    Any company involved with building-construction, demolition, or renovation creates construction and demolition (C&D) debris. This debris can consist of three types of waste: (1) inert or nonhazardous waste; (2) hazardous waste as regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA); and (3) items that contain hazardous components that might be regulated by some states. This course describes the required procedures to be followed when generating, storing, transporting, or disposing of hazardous waste. Often the best way to deal with the waste is to keep it out of landfills by reducing its volume, reusing it, and recycling it, and the course provides guidelines on how this can best be done. Several successful case studies of recycling demolition materials are presented.

    Topics:

    • Federal definition of hazardous waste
    • Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
    • The three categories of hazardous waste generators
    • The four lists of hazardous wastes
    • The four characteristics of hazardous wastes
    • Hazardous waste codes
    • Methods for reducing the amount of waste generated
    • Managing oil and tires waste
    • Other environmental laws affecting the construction industry
    • Reduction, reuse, and recycling of C&D materials: ideas and examples
    • Benefits to C&D recycling
    • Using recycled industrial materials in buildings
    • Case study of a successful brownfield C&D waste reduction project

    To take this course:

    1.) Enroll in Course:
    Click below to enroll:
    (must be logged into your user account)


    2.) Study: Once enrolled, click below to begin the course:

    Download the Study Guide

    3.) Test: Once you've thoroughly read the course materials, please click below to take the final examination.

    Take the final exam

    4.) Certificate: A passing grade of 70% or higher on the exam, is required to receive the certificate of completion for this PDH course.
         NOTE: After the exam is completed, you will need to return to this page, in order to print (download) the certificate of completion.

    Print the Certificate of Completion

    Publication Source: US Environmental Protection Agency

    Mark Rossow PhD, PE (retired)

    • Topic 1