The Construction Materials Re-cycling Association has released for public comment the program it developed to certify the recycling rates of mixed C&D facilities. The program, and directions on how to provide comments, is available at the CMRA Web site www.cdrecycling.org. The program was developed in response to reports of fraudulent claims of impossibly high recycling rates at some C&D facilities throughout North America. The claims are done in order to provide clients with high enough recycling rates to attain points on green building programs, such as the USGBC’s LEED. While the CMRA developed the program, the intention is to not have the organization administer the program, it will be done by a third party. Plant inspections and examination of inbound materials and outbound product invoices are part of the program. The intention is to have the program up and running by June 2011.

Here is an introduction to explain the goals of the program. 

Introduction—This standard is developed to provide single-stream (aka mixed), multi-stream and material-specific C&D debris reuse and recycling facility operators a method for declaration of the annual facility performance. C&D debris is defined here as building materials waste from the activities and sites of construction, renovation or demolition of building structures (excluding land clearing and excavation materials). The standard does not apply to municipal solid waste facilities or the handling of waste that is not generated from building sites.

Objectives—The objectives of this standard are:

• To provide a procedure for accounting for the materials inputs and outputs of a C&D debris reuse or recycling facility over a specified period of time.
• To provide an objective, transparent, not unduly costly, process for eligible firms seeking to communicate their reuse and recycling of C&D debris.
• To provide users of all facilities that are certified under this program an assurance that the procedures and declarations are consistently applied and verified.

This standard was prepared by a stakeholder group organized by the Construction Materials Recycling Association and using a public comment and consensus-based process.

Use—This standard is a voluntary program for use by entities engaged in C&D debris reuse and recycling. Any governmental agency, for-profit business and non-profit organization may use this standard. This standard does not in any way substitute for any applicable federal, state or local legal requirements for operating a business engaged in C&D materials debris reuse and recycling or legally required reporting of facility operations. It is intended to act as a reporting mechanism on facility performance.

This certification program is intended for use by facilities of minimum monthly throughput capacity as follows: transfer facilities: 1,500 tons/month; mixed C&D recycling facilities: 1,500 tons/month; single-source recycling facilities: 100 tons/month; and reused materials facilities: 50 tons/month.

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