The wisdom of the crowd

In the process of producing content for this magazine and its sister publications, Waste Today and Recycling Today, I sometimes feel like a jack-of-all-trades and master of none.

As a relatively new team member, I’ve come to rely on the experts within our editorial staff for background information about technical topics and key players in the industry.

Construction and demolition (C&D) firms could face a similar dilemma. A company that processes a wide variety of materials and collects and transports them could find it challenging when it comes time to replace a specific piece of equipment or accomplish a task requiring a detailed understanding of certain regulations.

The authors of two articles in this edition—Keith Etchells of Long Beach, California-based SCS Engineers and Steve Fair of Haver & Boecker Niagara, St. Catharines, Ontario—encourage readers to seek the advice of experts when faced with tricky tasks or difficult equipment choices.

In our story "Clever combinations," Fair gives a detailed overview of the various factors processors should consider when selecting screening media for C&D and aggregate applications, recommending that buyers “work with a reputable screen media manufacturer or certified dealer for informed advice.”

Additionally, it might not hurt to speak with others who process similar materials to learn about solutions that have worked for them.

Choosing screen media can be complicated and largely should be based on the type of material being processed. For that reason, it’s a good idea to work closely with an expert who understands a firm’s material flow.

Etchells advises seeking out expert advice, as well, but in a very different context. In "The ins and outs of efficient soil transfer," he discusses the intricacies of soil regulations, the need for communication among parties and the importance of testing soil that contractors need to import, export or dispose of.

Understanding soil regulations and the options available to a contractor is challenging, particularly for those operating in different states.

Sometimes, I have a go-it-alone mentality, and I suspect others do, as well. I recently spoke with a communications manager from an equipment company. She told me that if she can’t understand the intricacies of a product within 15 minutes, she reaches out to the company’s product experts. Reaching out to experts, whether it’s to accomplish a specific task or to broaden your industry knowledge, is always a good idea that could save time and money and, in some cases, avoid legal hassles.