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Demolition waste

About 70 percent of construction and demolition (C&D) waste ends up in landfills. Although some materials, including concrete and steel, are separated for recycling at waste transfer stations and landfills, many additional materials have the potential to be salvaged, reused, or recycled.

C&D projects can also reveal hazardous materials, such as asbestos, items containing mercury or lead like fluorescent light bulbs and batteries, appliances, electronics, paint, and pesticides. Managing these types of hazardous wastes properly is important in protecting public health and the environment and is required by law.

Before you demo guide for contractors (PDF, 1MB)

Pre-demolition inspections

About pre-demolition inspections

Hennepin County staff conduct pre-demolition inspections of residential and commercial properties to help ensure regulated materials are removed prior to demolition.

The inspector provides an inspection report to the contractor to further explain contractor responsibilities, including follow up disposal documentation. A follow up inspection is generally not required.

Hennepin County recommends that you contact the city where the work is taking place for any additional requirements.

To schedule an inspection for your project, call 612-348-4843 or email demo@hennepin.us.

Required documents

Copies of the following are required from the demolition contractor, property owner, or their designee to meet Hennepin County pre-demolition inspection program requirements:

Prepare for your inspection

Prepare for your pre-demolition inspection by completing the MPCA’s Pre-Renovation/Demolition Environmental Checklist (DOC, 1MB).

Materials that must be removed prior to demolition

Removal of building materials is required by law

The removal of hazardous building materials prior to demolition is required per Hennepin County Ordinance 7 Paragraph 2.07 B and State of Minnesota Rule 7035.0805.

Materials that must be removed

The following materials need to be removed at least two days prior to demolition or renovation:

  • Aerosols, compressed gas cylinders, fire extinguishers
  • Appliances
  • Asbestos-containing material
  • CFC-containing items (fire extinguishers, refrigerators, freezers)
  • Electronics
  • Hazardous wastes such as flammable liquids, pesticides, herbicides, solvents, cleaners, paints, adhesives, acid and caustics.
  • PCB-containing items (transformers, light ballasts)
  • Lead-containing items (lead paint unattached to substrate, lead-acid batteries)
  • Material trapped in sumps and traps
  • Mercury-containing items (batteries from smoke detectors, fluorescent lights, thermostats)
  • Oils including used oil

Properly dispose of regulated materials

Hazardous and universal waste disposal companies

Once hazardous materials are removed from a property, they need to be properly managed through reuse, recycling, or disposal at a hazardous waste facility. Refer to the list of Hazardous and Universal Waste Disposal Companies for C&D Sites (PDF, 2MB) for companies that accept this type of waste.

Drop-off facilities for household hazardous waste

Household hazardous waste identified in residential properties during a Hennepin County pre-demolition inspection can be brought to a Hennepin County drop-off facility by appointment only. Demolition contractors can contact demo@hennepin.us to schedule an appointment. Homeowners can take residential household hazardous waste to the drop-off facilities.

Non-household waste at residential properties

If you come across non-household quantities or types of hazardous waste at residential demolition sites, contact a hazardous waste disposal vendor to help identify proper management methods and permitted disposal companies and the EPA ID number necessary to dispose of hazardous waste. Management and disposal of hazardous waste

Learn more about applying for an EPA ID Number from the MPCA’s Obtain a Hazardous Waste Identification Number factsheet (PDF, 1MB). If you need further assistance, contact Hennepin County at 612-348-3777.

PaintCare sites accept waste architectural paints, primers, sealers and clear-coats from businesses and households free of charge, with some restrictions. For eligibility and restrictions, and participating collection sites, visit paintcare.org or learn more in the MPCA’s Architectural Paint factsheet (PDF, 1MB).

Resources for managing regulated materials

VSQG collection program and one-time generators

In some cases, demolition or renovation properties may be required to obtain a hazardous waste ID number to dispose of hazardous waste as a VSQG (Very Small Quantity Generator) or one-time generator. Contact Hennepin County for assistance in obtaining a hazardous waste ID number, identifying proper management methods, and finding licensed or permitted disposal companies.

Management and disposal of hazardous waste

Asbestos in demolitions or renovations

Asbestos-containing materials are required to be removed prior to demolition or renovation per Hennepin County Ordinance 7 Paragraph 2.07 B and State of Minnesota Rule 7035.0805. Learn more about requirements for proper identification, management, and disposal of asbestos in demolition and renovations:

Salvage reusable building materials

Many building materials can be salvaged

Many building materials can be salvaged for reuse. Reuse is environmentally preferred over recycling or trash disposal because it avoids energy use and costs associated with manufacturing new products and diverts materials from landfills.

There are several for-profit and nonprofit companies that accept usable household materials, including:

  • Appliances
  • Cabinets
  • Doors
  • Hot water radiators
  • Light fixtures
  • Windows
  • Wood flooring and trim

There are also some companies that will come to your project location to remove building materials, and some of these companies will pay for your building materials.

Salvage businesses

The following organizations and businesses offer salvage opportunities for building materials. Contact the retailer directly to check for materials accepted, drop-off hours, and other considerations, such as material pick-up. This list does not constitute approval of any of the firms identified nor do we claim the list is complete.

A Plus Appliances

  • Location: St. Paul
  • Contact: 651-298-1929
  • Accepts: appliances

Accent Store Fixtures

  • Location: Minneapolis
  • Contact: 612-379-2788, asfmn.com
  • Accepts: shelving and storage units, gridwall, slatwall

Architectural Antiques

  • Location: Minneapolis
  • Contact: 612-332-8344, archantiques.com
  • Accepts: building materials, unique/historical artifacts

Art & Architecture

  • Location: Minneapolis
  • Contact: 612-904-1776
  • Accepts: building materials, unique/historical artifacts

Bauer Brothers Salvage, Inc.

  • Location: Minneapolis
  • Contact: 612-521-9492, bauerbrosinc.com
  • Accepts: building materials including: cabinets, commercial items, doors, lighting, plumbing, windows

Better Futures Minnesota

  • Location: Minneapolis
  • Contact: 612-351-8659, betterfuturesminnesota.com
  • Accepts: appliances, cabinets, doors, lighting, lumber, plumbing, tile

Bridging

  • Location: Bloomington
  • Contact: 952-888-1105, bridging.org
  • Accepts: Furniture and household items

City Salvage

  • Location: Minneapolis
  • Contact: 612-627-9107, citysalvage.com
  • Accepts: building materials including: cabinets, commercial items, doors, lighting, plumbing, windows

Furnish Office & Home

Guilded Salvage

  • Location: Minneapolis
  • Contact: 612-789-1680
  • Accepts: building materials, unique/historical artifacts, hardware, lighting

Habitat for Humanity ReStore

  • Location: Minneapolis and New Brighton
  • Contact: 612-588-3820, restore.tchabitat.org
  • Accepts: building materials including: cabinets, commercial items, doors, lighting, plumbing, windows

Historic Stone Company

  • Location: Minneapolis
  • Contact: 651-641-1234, historicstone.com
  • Accepts: various stones

Northwest Architectural Salvage

  • Location: St. Paul
  • Contact: 651-644-9270
  • Accepts: building materials, unique/historical artifacts

No Boundary Tiny Homes

  • Location: Eau Claire, WI (willing to travel to Twin Cities)
  • Contact: 715-533-0255, facebook.com/noboundariestinyhomes
  • Accepts: Building materials including lumber, plumbing, windows, wood flooring

Second Chance Recycling

Deconstruction

How deconstruction works

Deconstruction can divert up to 90 percent of building materials for reuse and recycling. Deconstruction is the process of carefully dismantling building structures to salvage building materials for reuse. This approach has several environmental and social benefits compared to demolition.

In a deconstruction project, a building is taken apart using mostly hand tools, and materials are sorted into categories for efficient recycling and reuse.

Benefits of deconstruction

Deconstruction prevents usable materials from going to the landfill and makes used building materials available to the community. Other benefits of deconstruction include:

  • Reduced or avoided landfill tipping fees
  • Income tax deductions for donated materials
  • Can qualify for LEED credits
  • Revenue from sales of reclaimed materials

Plan ahead

It is important to plan ahead when considering deconstruction because the project will likely take longer to complete and could have increased labor costs. Contact demo@hennepin.us to find out more about deconstruction.

Deconstruction grants

Hennepin County has funding available for the complete removal or major renovation of residential properties that use deconstruction techniques to remove reusable building materials. Homeowners and developers can receive up to $5,000 to help offset the additional time and labor costs associated with deconstruction.

Building material reuse grants

Watch a video about the Deconstruction Grant Program (YouTube).

Recycling construction and demolition materials

Plan ahead for recycling

Plan ahead to coordinate recycling for building materials that can’t be salvaged for reuse. There are several C&D processing facilities in the Twin Cities that accept materials such as asphalt, metals and wood for recycling. C&D processing facilities can recover about half of materials for recycling, putting C&D materials to better use than if they were sent to a landfill.

C&D recycling businesses

The companies listed below accept loads of C&D materials. They can also provide roll-off boxes to keep at site to collect materials throughout the project at a comparable price of sending these materials to a landfill.

LRS (formerly Atomic Recycling)

  • Location: Minneapolis
  • Contact: 612-623-8888
  • LRS website

Dem-Con

Related pages

Building material reuse grantschevron_rightHazardous waste management ordinancechevron_rightManagement and disposal of hazardous wastechevron_right