How to Reduce, Reuse,
Recycle, and Rebuy Materials
Recycle, and Rebuy Materials
REDUCE
- Buy only as much material as needed to get the job done.
- Use standard lumber or drywall dimensions.
- Encourage reduction of packaging waste. Ask suppliers to deliver products in returnable pallets and containers.
- Store lumber level and covered to minimize warping, twisting, and waste.
- Salvage and reuse items in good condition such as doors, cabinets, and equipment.
- Measure carefully and use a central cutting area. Smaller lengths can be used for spacers or blocking.
- Use small trashcans to keep reusable scraps handy.
- Save large lumber cutoffs to be used when a small piece of lumber is needed.
- Save drywall scraps to be used as fillers in closets.
- Use a portable grinder to pulverize lumber, drywall, brick, mortar, cement board siding, shingles, and other materials that can be reused as mulch, soil amendments, or fill.
- Save clean sawdust for compost or mulch.
- Buy recycled products and use alternative materials, such as engineered wood products, which can be ordered to the exact size you need.
