To recycle the most materials on your project, use a co-mingled facility with a high recycling rate and use source separated recycling for the phases of your project that generate large quantities of a single material like wood, drywall, cardboard and/or ceiling tiles.

Co-mingled recycling allows your crew to put select materials such as wood, cardboard, and metals in one container. The hauler takes the materials to a sorting facility where the materials are separated for recycling.

Source separated recycling requires your crew to put select recyclables such as wood, cardboard and metals in separate containers as they are generated. The recycling hauler takes the materials directly to a recycler or a transfer site.

Pros & Cons:

• Co-mingled recycling costs less than garbage disposal; source-separated recycling usually costs less than co-mingled recycling (even including the additional labor costs).
• Source separated recycling yields an average facility recycling rate of 90+%. The recycling rate at co-mingled facilities can vary as much as 15% to 93%.
• With co-mingled recycling, many materials that have the potential to be recycled, such as drywall, asphalt shingles and ceiling tiles, are disposed of as garbage.
• Source separating helps create higher end markets for recyclables such as the manufacture of new recycled-content building materials.
• On jobsites where space is limited, having fewer recycling containers on-site and co-mingling the recyclables can save valuable space.
• Source-separated recycling requires more labor on-site.
• Co-mingled recycling is particularly suited for residential demolition - after salvaging all reusable materials.