Demo industry shares thoughts on sustainability and debris management practices

Purdue Polytechnic Institute’s School of Construction Management Technology sent surveys out to members of the National Demolition Association (NDA) during fall 2020. In all, the survey generated 89 total respondents.

One of the primary goals of the research was to assess the demolition community’s attitudes and willingness to adopt more sustainable practices in their debris cleanup operations. This is especially pertinent since emergency managers seek out demolition and cleanup specialists to clear out debris after a disaster. Purdue Polytechnic Institute’s researcher analyzed this community’s responses using what is known as a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) strategic planning tool to see where the industry can improve its sustainability in debris management to help bolster a community’s or region’s resiliency.

Regarding strengths found in the survey, nearly 87 percent of those surveyed indicated they are already recycling in their personal lives. Another positive indicator was the nearly 92 percent of respondents who said their businesses currently use salvaging materials for recycling as a means of company revenues. The idea of sustainability, therefore, is not new or foreign to the respondents. According to the researcher, these findings point toward an upward trend of embracing sustainability “even if not fully altruistically, but in a purely economic matter of business.” 

On the other hand, the weaknesses analyzed from the surveys indicated concerns of the “trendiness” of sustainability concepts and these practices not being practical, safe or fair across the industry. Additionally, the survey found that almost 40 percent of waste handlers in the demolition industry are not working with either another industrial or secondary market partner to handle or treat the debris coming off of sites. 

As part of the opportunities analysis, more than half of those surveyed (54 percent) said they have a basic grasp of the idea and concepts embodied by the circular economy. When asked about what would drive them to adopt greater sustainability practices, the respondents said that contract requirements, secondary materials markets, and tax relief incentives, in that order, would be the most persuasive in forming their business decisions to move in that direction. 

In terms of the threats, surveyed members echoed some of the same issues in the opportunities analysis on what needs to change regarding the hurdles to sustainable materials management.  However, some of these threats can easily be refocused into opportunities, especially if new local, federal and international standards regarding debris management are embraced, the researcher found.

Toy Andrews is a doctorate candidate at Purdue Polytechnic Institute’s School of Construction Management Technology. He can be reached at andrew93@purdue.edu.