Marlon County proposals to waive C&D waste disposal fees flies in face of environment.
Demolition contractors on either side of the Atlantic share an unseen bond; they are working in a rough, tough business where the risks and resulting camaraderie are on a par with those experienced in military service.
The US and the UK demolition industries do have their differences, however. We have almost universally embraced high reach excavators while our US cousins still prefer to send for the wrecking ball or explosives; while the Yanks “shoot” buildings, the Limeys “pop” them.
But semantics aside, the one area where opinion remains divided is on the recycling of construction and demolition waste. In the UK (and across Europe for that matter), waste is all but forbidden, and a combination of legislation and highly taxed disposal charges have all but eliminated the process of sending potentially reusable materials to landfill. Despite some significant shifts, particularly among some of the larger US demolition companies, waste is still perceived as a by-product; something to be disposed of. And, based on this latest news story, it’s little wonder.
According to a report in the Peabody Gazette-Bulletin, Marion County Commissioners hope a plan to waive fees for demolition debris disposal will encourage property owners to replace dilapidated structures. If the plan is approved, property owners will be able to apply for a permit, which would waive the $40 per ton fee the county levies for demolition debris. The permit would be issued from the Planning and Zoning Department. It would require a $50 fee to inspect for hazardous materials, and if such materials are found, another $50 inspection to verify proper disposal.
So while on this side of the pond Landfill Tax is subject to an annual price hike with no upper limit, in the US it’s perfectly acceptable to not only allow the disposal of C&D waste but to actively encourage it?
