Pro Tile Setter Offers ‘Green’ Solutions on How to Combat Construction Waste

With 54 years as a tile setter specializing in remodeling kitchens and bathrooms, I’ve witnessed the waste generated over the course of our projects. Even the cartons and bags from our tile and thinset become something that we need to deal with. Have you ever considered where that “waste” ends up?

Endless amounts of products—tile setting materials, buckets, cabinets, furniture, and countertops—end up in landfills. As the planet gets more and more cluttered with debris from a “disposable minded” society, we must do our fair share to chip in and become part of the solution. Many programs already exist, and new ones are on the horizon that look for alternatives to bagging and shipping everything to the dump. Here are a few things that my company has chosen to do to help.

Donate

For the demo stage of a project, sledgehammers work well, but they are just there to add drama on the DIY shows. When we do a demo of a kitchen or bath, we are careful to pull the countertops, vanity tops and cabinets so as not to destroy them. We take these products to our local Habitat for Humanity ReStore for donation.

Even old unused paint—as long as the paint has not dried up or been frozen—Habitat will accept it. This gets a new life from crafters that are looking for smaller quantities.

If in doubt of what will be accepted, I suggest a quick call to the store.

The person making the donation is responsible to also evaluate it. You simply itemize the products and fill in personal information on a donation sheet provided by Habitat. A copy is kept by the ReStore and a copy given to the person donating for charitable donations like on a tax return.

On average, my company donates about $5K-$8K value of products annually. I fill out a donation sheet and give it to my homeowners as a tax write off. They appreciate it and that’s less in the landfill. Win, win!  

Any donations to Habitat for Humanity ReStores are then re-sold at a discounted price, much like Goodwill. This helps Habitat cover expenses and allows them to create revenue for actual houses that are constructed by various teams of people around the country.

Former President Jimmy Carter was a huge supporter of Habitat. I personally know a friend that got to “swing a hammer” with him on a project. What a great experience.

Recycle

I would suspect most towns have a recycling program along with their normal garbage pick-up. I try to bring cardboard and plastic home to be disposed of in my personal container.

I am also lucky enough that I can have an open burn pit at my home. I take wood products home and use them as fuel.  

If I get any metal from my jobsite other than copper and aluminum, I bring that home too and separate that from my normal waste and set it aside. I know that the “scrapper” will drive along on garbage pick-up day and if I can help him make a couple of extra pennies, I do.

Every town also has a recycling drop-off center for scrap materials such as copper and aluminum. I accumulate these metals and make the trip. Even if it’s just for gas money, I know these products too will be melted down and be reborn.

Repurpose

Another thing that I’ve had a heart for is to take my cuts and broken tiles and make mosaic projects. I love the look of mosaic designs, and the tile gets a new life and not buried in some hill.

I’ve made mosaic art projects and stepping stone mosaics for garden walks. I made a glass tile birdhouse and even did a fireplace hearth from broken tiles that were given to me by a local tile supplier. Your imagination is the only limit as to what you can achieve.

Of course, this list is not exhaustive, but maybe it will spark some interest and nudge you too to look for alternatives to waste removal that ends up in landfills.

That is my “green” perspective.