Americans are very wasteful. The United States accounts for more than one-fifth the total of the world's waste (Informinc 2001). In 1996, the US brought to its landfills 136 million tons of garbage (Informinc 2001). That means every man, woman and child threw out more than 1000 pounds worth of trash in 1996 (calculated from the information stated above and census information from the year 1997).The landfills in the United States are filling up. In the next 10 years, many landfills in Pennsylvania will reach their capacity (Zeigler 2001). But it is not just your regular household garbage that is taking up the most room within the landfills; it is construction waste (CRBT 2001, Zeigler 2001, Informinc 2001, Smart Growth 2000, DEQ 2001, Harvard 2002, NRG 2002). Construction waste takes up about 40% of the space in landfills (Zeigler 2001). Believe it or not most of the construction waste produced comes from residential construction projects, not large construction companies (EPA 2001).

Each year, Michigan produces 8.4 million cubic yards of construction waste (DEQ 2001). To put 8.4 million cubic yards in perspective, there are 3.25 million cubic yards of concrete in the Hoover Dam (Hoover Dam). Not only is this excessive waste production a problem for the landfills, it also creates many other environmental problems. The products have to be produced somehow. Forests are being cut down for lumber which have multiple environmental impacts including increased erosion, increased sedimentation of waterways, loss of nutrient cycling, etc. (Forest Learn 2004). Metals and other minerals are being mined that cause acid mine drainage, toxins carried in dust, and increased radiation levels in some cases (Fields 2003).There are many other problems that can be attributed to the production of building materials. The following link to a life cycle assessment will provide further information as to some impacts the production of construction materials causes (Forest Products Society).

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