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Landscapers‚Äö?Ñ?¥ Trash is Another Man‚Äö?Ñ?¥s Treasure09-08-03 | News
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Milwaukee, Wis. is joining the effort to recycle construction and demolition debris in order to cut down on what is sent to landfills, the Journal Sentinal, Inc. recently reported. A state study revealed that 30% of the contents of 14 Wisconsin landfills was construction debris. Now recycling officials are planning to recycle such materials as treated and untreated wood, rock, brick, concrete, and drywall instead of sending them to landfills. Landscapers, also avid users of such materials, can now take responsibility for their excess materials and recycle them for other uses. For example, old or excess wood from construction of pathways, picnic table, etc. can be ground up and used as mulch. Discarded rocks can be ground into aggregate for walkways and other projects. New strips of drywall, which are made of gypsum that is nearly identical to that in fertilizer, can be ground and used, with approval from the Department of Natural Resources, as a recycled fertilizer. Local recycling and state officials note that success of the recycling project would partly depend on education and programs geared towards builders and remodelers. Such programs include demonstrations to raise awareness put on by Denise King, the Executive Director of the Metropolitan Builders Association, and efforts sponsored by WasteCap Wisconsin, Inc. This non-profit organization works with the construction demolition industry to send more materials in for recycling. Milwaukee won?EUR??,,????'???t be the only recyclers in the nation. Some counties, such as Los Alamos in California and New York City, have already acknowledged the large amounts of construction materials in their landfills and have passed initiatives to reduce that waste through recycling programs. Aimed directly at landscape debris, these programs collect and turn leaves, grass clippings and wood chips into compost. Landscapers looking to buy used or surplus materials can check out such stores as the Home Source, or the ReStore, which is run by the Habitat for Humanity Organization.
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