Construction and Deconstruction Zero Waste Requirements

Your diversion rate is all the diverted waste divided by the total waste of the project. Here is the formula used to calculate your diversion.

RECYCLING ​

• While Concrete and Asphalt - Pavement & Grinding are separately tracked in Green Halo, they are both considered 'Aggregates' and count as one (1) material type for ordinance requirements. ​

• Concrete includes brick/masonry/stone. ​

• Cardboard and Paper Products only applies for new construction (BLD). ​

• Metal includes appliances taken to a metal recycler. ​

REUSE ​

• Deconstructed & Reuse Items include all items for donation/reuse/informal resale, regardless of what they are made of. ​

Use this volume-to-weight conversion resource from the EPA. ​

Disclaimer: This list does not include special waste streams regulated at the federal or state level such as hazardous waste and materials prohibited from the landfill. All contractors are expected to follow federal and state regulations regarding the proper handling, treatment, and disposal of special, regulated waste streams.

Most of the work happens in the Green Halo Systems website, applicants will use it to get the waste plan and final waste report approved. Once approved in Green Halo, applicants must upload proof to the Customer Self-Service Portal (www.EnerGovCSS.bouldercolorado.gov) under the Attachments tab for the project.​

What to upload:​

• Review (DEM: Sustainable Deconstruction Plan; BLD: Construction Waste Recycling Application):​
  A PDF copy of the Green Halo email with the subject line:​
  “NEW PROJECT APPROVED…”​

• Inspection (DEM + BLD: Construction and Deconstruction Waste Diversion Tracking):​
  A PDF copy of the Green Halo email with the subject line:​
  “PROJECT COMPLETED…”

Each project needs one account holder, and at least one project manager. More users can be added anytime, and all users will need a Green Halo account (free version available). The account holder and the project manager may be the same person.​

Account Holder – Since Green Halo project creation is linked to the permit application, the person who applies in the Customer Self-Service Portal will automatically become the Green Halo account holder. This role can easily be re-assigned at any time. ​

Project Manager - This should be the company or person closest to the work of deconstruction (typically a general contractor) and is responsible for managing the dismantling of the building, transporting materials to facilities, and uploading weight tickets to the project account.

You’ll pay a refundable deposit of $1 per square foot of the structure being deconstructed, with a minimum of $1,500. ​

Your refund is based on how well your project meets Zero Waste requirements:​

• Reuse/recycle at least 75% of total materials by weight​

• Reuse/recycle at least 3 different types of materials (like wood, metal, or aggregate)​

If you don’t meet both of these rules, you’ll only get part of your deposit back. The refund is calculated based on:​

• How close you got to the 75% diversion minimum, and​

• How many different material types were included​
  ​

Example 1:​

• Project size: 1,000 square feet​

• Deposit: $1,500​

• Total project weight: 100,000 lbs​

• Diverted 60% (60,000 lbs), 3 material types​

• Result: Didn’t meet 75% diversion minimum, but used enough material types​

• Refund = 60 ÷ 75 = 80%​

• 80% refund of $1,500 = $1,200 refund​

Example 2:​

• Project size: 2,000 square feet​

• Deposit: $2,000​

• Total project weight: 100,000 lbs​

• Diverted 75% (75,000 lbs), only 2 material types​

• Result: Meets the 75% diversion minimum, but not enough material types​

• Refund = (75 ÷ 75) × (2 ÷ 3) = 66.6%​

• 66.6% of $2,000 = $1,332 refund

If you don’t have weight tickets, the city will accept:​

Documentation + estimate ​

• Photos of each load of materials in the truck, or a screenshot of the listing from an online marketplace (i.e. FaceBook, Craigslist, OfferUp, etc.) ​

• Estimate the amount or volume (like in cubic yards) ​

• Use a volume-to-weight conversion resource from the EPA to estimate the weight ​

• Aggregates (e.g. concrete or asphalt) can be no more than 30,000 lbs (or 15 tons) per load. ​

OR ​

• A statement on the approved facility's company letterhead that itemizes the materials, weights, and the project it came from. ​

Only these can substitute a weight ticket, otherwise it is counted as trash.

You must first get approval from the City, and for that we'll need an address and a way for us to check that the materials are being handled properly. If the City can’t confirm how the materials are managed, they will be counted as trash. You can also email us to request a new facility be added to the list. ​

It is important to use approved facilities because recycling and waste management operations are activities regulated by the state. If you want to recycle wood, for example, it must be processed at a registered recycler. There are also special waste streams - like hazardous waste and materials prohibited from the landfill - that are regulated by state or federal laws and must be handled in specific ways. Contractors are expected to follow all rules and take materials to acceptable facilities.

You can call and ask the project's Contracted Hauling Service where they take materials.

Facilites can be modified later in the process through Green Halo, during the weight ticket upload step.

Usually, no. If the work is all part of the same project and happening at the same time, staff can combine fees and waste requirements under one permit.​

You’ll still get Green Halo emails for each permit, but you only need to choose one to be your main permit. Just complete the Green Halo steps for that one and ignore the others.​

This way, you only submit one waste plan and one final report for the full project. Since you're probably using the same bins or piles for all the materials, combining the waste tracking:​

• Makes things easier for you and City staff​

• Matches how the work is actually being done​

• Helps avoid mistakes

Some projects can’t reach the city's requirements because of the materials or conditions involved. If this happens, contact us right away with details about the problem (i.e. pictures, abatement/inspection reports, etc.). The City will review the case and decide if/how to set a different “Achievable Diversion Rate” just for your project and meeting this agreed-upon new rate will make you eligible for a full refund.​

​If you don’t contact the City, you must meet the original diversion rate with no exceptions.

If there is any non-friable, non-regulated, or trace asbestos left in the building after removal work, you need to talk with the City before starting deconstruction. The City may require you to remove this asbestos so you can reuse and recycle as much of the building materials as possible.​

​If a contractor mixes asbestos materials with other building materials and sends them off together, that waste will be counted as trash.

If the concrete has rebar (aka dirty concrete) it can still be recycled at several approved facilities. Contact an approved facility in advance to confirm they will accept it.

The City of Boulder does not count landscape materials used as ADC at landfills as recycling. Composting and other options are available locally for these materials.​

​If materials are used as ADC, they will be counted as trash.

No. If materials are left in place and not removed as part of the project, they do not count toward the diversion rate.​

For example:​

• Trees or other landscaping that stay on site can’t be counted​

• Foundations or driveways that aren’t removed also don’t count​

Only materials that are actually taken out of the building and reused, recycled, or composted can count toward the diversion rate.