Saturday 29 February 2020

What Can You Throw Away in a Dumpster or Mini Bin Rental – read here!

Companies rent dumpsters to give them a place to put their waste. Construction contractors employ dumpsters to catch a variety of materials. They help to keep their job site safe.
You also have offices that rent dumpsters. They use them to manage the large amounts of office waste generated every day.
You will also find dumpsters located behind grocery stores, hotels, medical offices, and restaurants. So many different types of businesses rely on dumpster and mini bin rentals.

What-Can-You-Throw-Away-in-a-Dumpster-or-Mini-Bin-Rental--read-here

What Can You Throw Away in a Dumpster or Mini Bin Rental – read here!


Where do you rent a dumpster from?
Dumpster rentals and mini bin rentals come from waste disposal companies. You make arrangements to rent a dumpster in a specific size and length. Your waste disposal company arrives to drop off the dumpster. Then they pick it up at a specified pick-up time.
The process of renting a dumpster is relatively straightforward. The major consideration is size. Ordering a size too small will cause overfilling and/or the contents being overweight. Ordering a size larger than what you need is a waste of money.
Why do companies rent dumpsters?
A company who rents a dumpster does so to make its waste management simple and responsible. In business, the objective is profit. We don’t often think of what to do with our waste. With a dumpster, you have a place to put your waste and know it’s taken care of.
The responsibility of proper waste management then falls on the shoulders of the company dropping off the dumpster. What to do with said waste is regulated by municipal rules. Unfortunately, it isn’t as simple as taking a dumpster to the landfill. Materials are sorted.
What can I throw away in a dumpster?
Different areas have different guidelines. The same can be said for waste disposal companies offering to rent dumpsters and mini bins. Before you rent a dumpster, speak with the provider. Mention the materials you want to dispose of. Get their approval.
A mistake like including hazardous materials or organic waste in a dumpster can prove very expensive. This isn’t a mistake you want to pay the cost on. An easy solution is clearing it beforehand. Here’s a list of what can and cannot be included in a dumpster rental.
Can I put appliances in a dumpster rental?
You can include appliances in a dumpster rental. You do have to make sure all hazardous materials have been removed from them.
This involves knowing what components and fluids are hazardous. For example, an old refrigerator’s going to have refrigerant that needs to be disposed of first. Here are the basic appliances that are safe for a dumpster rental.

 Dryers.
 Washers.
 Ovens.
 Hot water tanks.
 Dishwashers.
 Air conditioning units.
Can I put furniture in a dumpster rental?
You can put most furniture in a dumpster rental. In some cases, mattresses and upholstered furniture are not accepted. This varies by location.
For some companies, there are also additional charges for furniture. This is why you always want to confirm with a dumpster provider beforehand if you’re tossing out any large items. Here is the furniture that is generally accepted when you rent a dumpster.

 Dining tables and chairs.
 Cabinets.
 Shelves.
 Bed frames.
Can I put electronics in a dumpster rental?
Electronics in a dumpster rental is unusual. Electronics like televisions and computers carry components that can be recycled. For this reason, they should be brought to an electronics recycling drop-off location.
That said, some dumpster rentals permit electronics. Dumpsters sometimes are rented for office cleanouts. In cases like this, an exception by a waste disposal service is sometimes made. If electronics are your primary item, another option is calling a junk removal service.
Can I put yard waste in a dumpster rental?
Yard waste is accepted in most dumpster rentals. It weighs a lot. Be sure to check weight restrictions. Trees, branches, grass, and soil add up quickly. You also may have limits on the amount of yard waste permitted in a dumpster. Coordinate with your provider for more information.
What kind of construction waste can I put in a dumpster rental?
Dumpsters are an excellent investment for home builders, renovations, and construction contractors. Construction debris needs a place to be put. Enter in a dumpster. Whether it’s just you doing renovations or a full crew, a dumpster’s your solution.
Once again, check weight limits. Construction waste can be heavy. You also want to ensure there’s no asbestos or hazardous materials. Any inclusion of these things means more fees and contamination. Here is what construction waste is accepted in a dumpster.

 Asphalt.
 Bricks.
 Concrete.
 Stones.
 Curtains.
 Carpets.
 Wood.
 Drywall.
 Roofing shingles.
What happens to the materials I put in a dumpster rental?
In a lot of cases, a dumpster is taken to a sorting facility. The materials are then sorted. What’s recyclable is recycled. What isn’t is sent to a landfill. Care is taken to maximize the materials available.
Things like wood or a lot of construction waste are highly recyclable. These materials are often repurposed by local organizations or sent to facilities where they can be remade into another product.
If you have concerns or questions about what will happen with your dumpster waste, a representative at Core Mini Bins is happy to let you know what we do. Eco-friendly, environmentally sustainable dumpster and mini bin rentals are our focus.
What am I not allowed to put in my dumpster rental?
Some materials are not accepted in a dumpster rental and they never will be. Some are hazardous materials. Others require careful handling to properly dispose of them. Here’s a quick list of what you can’t put in your dumpster rental.

 Paints.
 Thinners.
 Lacquers.
 Stains.
 Oils.
 Tires.
 Asbestos.
 Automotive fluids.
 Pesticides.
 Medical waste.
 Sealed tanks or drums.
 Some electronic waste.
 Some types of furniture.
 Cleaning solutions.
 Propane tanks.
 Car batteries.
 Dry cell batteries.
Rent a dumpster today. We offer same-day delivery to anywhere in Toronto. Let us know what size, the time you need it for, and what you’re putting in. Core Mini Bins are the easiest to deal with and very accommodating to our clients. Contact us directly for more information.

Thursday 27 February 2020

Tips on How to Increase Waste Management Efficiency for a Small Business or Corporate Office

Every business creates waste. Even companies who plant trees create waste products in their efforts. Your average Toronto corporate office generally fixates on other priorities above management of their waste. That doesn’t mean it isn’t important.
A lot of offices in Toronto want ways to reduce waste, increase recycling, and manage the waste they have to create. As a waste disposal company, there are two pieces of advice we give on this – properly dispose of the waste you’re already creating and use alternatives to reduce the waste created.
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Tips on How to Increase Waste Management Efficiency for a Small Business or Corporate Office


Where are there opportunities to purpose and reuse your office business waste?
An office that wants to be smart about their waste needs relationships. A lot of larger multi-national corporations launch initiatives based off these relationships that focus on recycling and/or repurposing waste.
As a small business or independent business, the biggest opportunity there is to develop relationships that allow you to repurpose waste is by hiring a waste disposal company. Waste disposal, junk removal, dumpster, and mini bin rental companies all have partners in waste management and recycling facilities. They do this on a daily basis. They also know where to take things like electronics and furniture which can be donated.
How do I make a waste management strategy for my business?
Every corporate office, small business, or commercial establishment of any kind should have some sort of a waste disposal plan in place. A business can’t get by without it. If you want to control your office waste better, get to know the waste you’re creating and where it’s going.
A key component of a waste management plan is where you’re going to put the waste. Dumpster rentals and mini bin rentals can be advantageous for this reason. If you don’t have space for a dumpster, consider assigning a room to be your ‘waste room’ ensuring it doesn’t conflict with fire safety standards.
Throughout your office, you want to have the necessary garbage cans to collect and keep separate the waste and recycling as well.
What is the value of a waste disposal service for my business?
Core Mini Bins is a top Toronto waste disposal service with dumpsters, mini bins, junk removal, and other business-friendly services. There are several benefits to working with a waste management company like our own.

 Convenience.
 Find better ways to manage your waste.
 Reduce your impact on the environment and get the numbers to show it.
 Have a way to separate hazardous materials to ensure proper disposal.
 Have strategies to safely dispose of or recycle electronics, metals, and chemicals.
 Cost-effectiveness.
 Receive customized suggestions on a waste management plan that prioritizes landfill waste reduction.
 Get more space in your office to work with, after removing broken equipment and instituting a waste collection area.
 Ensure no fines relating to waste disposal are assigned to your business.
How can I maximize the affordability of a waste disposal plan for a business?
If you find that it’s going to cost you more to successfully manage waste through a dumpster rental, one strategy is to try and split these costs between other businesses. If you’re fortunate enough to have a business neighbour, ask to see if they want to share the expense with you.
Depending on the situation, you may need to ask a neighbour for their permission to install a dumpster on the premises anyways. If they do agree to split the costs with you, that’s instant savings on your wallet and without compromising the efficiency of your office waste management strategy.
Do I need junk removal for my Toronto business?
Increasing waste management efficiency can sometimes mean starting with a clean slate. Decluttering an office is a great way to get out the things you don’t need and start anew. Assuming there’s equipment you’re not using, computer or electronics waste that hasn’t yet been addressed, and other objects you want gone, schedule a small business Toronto junk removal.
A junk removal service will drop in and pick up everything you want to part with. Before scheduling the pick-up, give yourself the time to sort through everything in the office. Some office managers may want to allow themselves a weekend to do this. If you have office electronics, chemicals, hazardous materials, or other special items that require special consideration, mention this to the company.
What waste can be recycled in an office?
A lot of what offices produce in waste is recyclable but some waste understandably isn’t. Efforts to reduce waste in landfills from your office involve replacing non-recyclables with recyclable alternatives. Here is a quick list of office recyclables in Toronto.

 Paper products, including newspapers, cardboard, flyers, and shredded documents.
 Aluminum.
 Electronics such as televisions, computers, monitors, printers, tablets, and phones.
 Paints including most aerosols, varnishes, and stains.
 Batteries can be recycled through Home Depot or Staples.
 Fluorescent light tubes require special handling but can be recycled.
What are some strategies to use to increase office recycling?
The more you recycle, the less landfill waste you create – that’s the bottom line. If you want to own an eco-friendly, environmentally sustainable business, pro-recycling strategies should be a focus of your waste management plan. Here are our best tips on how to increase office recycling.
 Separate organics. If you have an office kitchen, have a separate trash can for food scraps, paper towels and napkins, coffee grinds and tea bags, and compostable plates and cutlery.
 Purchase inventory that is recyclable. Eliminate waste that isn’t. For example, single-use plastics relating to food packaging, straws, and plastic bags have alternatives. Be mindful of what you’re buying for the office. Ask if there’s a pro-recycling alternative that can replace it.
 Have systems in place to collect more recycling so that recyclables aren’t ending up in the trash because of there being no place to put them. Common recycling materials mistaken as waste in offices include electronics, light bulbs, batteries, printer and toner cartridges, cardboard, aluminum cans, and magazines.
 Stop buying disposable coffee cups. The average office worker in Canada uses 500 disposable cups a year. Instead of disposables, provide reusable coffee mugs and water bottles. This cuts out a huge amount of waste going into your waste stream on a daily basis.
 Encourage a paperless office environment. While few offices can go fully paperless, opt for digital communications whenever possible. Edit and proof any documents on the computer before printing. Try to print on both sides of the paper, when you do have to print. Try to switch all paperwork relating to purchasing and invoicing, memos, announcements, and internal communications to email.
Opportunities to increase office recycling exist. Are you ready to take your office waste management to the next level – call Core Mini Bins today.

Friday 21 February 2020

Is Canada Good At Waste Disposal and Recycling – See the Facts

Canada has a waste management record of mixed results. A lot of analyses comparing Canada’s efforts to other countries regularly rank us as having one of the worst waste management records among developed nations.
Is there room for improvement – absolutely. In an effort to give a full glimpse of the waste management problem in Canada, we’ve assembled the data and outline the opportunities that exist.
Every year, we send millions of tonnes of waste to our landfills. This is expensive, increases demands on our waste disposal facilities, and is a missed opportunity when we calculate the value of minerals and recyclables that aren’t being retrieved from our waste stream.
Is-Canada-Good-At-Waste-Disposal-and-Recycling--See-the-Facts

Is Canada Good At Waste Disposal and Recycling – See the Facts


Does Canada have a waste problem?
 Each Canadian generates an average of 2.7 kg of waste every day. By this definition, Canada produces more garbage per capita than any other country on Earth.
 The two largest categories of waste in Canada are agricultural waste at 181 million tonnes annually and industrial waste at 1.12 billion tonnes annually. Total waste in Canada, as of 2017, is 1.33 billion tonnes of waste per year.
 The City of Toronto alone produces 900,000 tonnes of waste every year, a number continuing to grow with each passing year.
 Canada maintains over 10,000 landfill sites countrywide. Emissions from our landfills account for 20 percent of Canada’s national methane emissions.
Yes, Canada has a waste problem. We wish it wasn’t true but it is. On a national scale, and regionally in provinces like Ontario and cities like Toronto, we don’t do nearly a good enough job as a society in keeping our country clean.
How much does Canada recycle?
We not only have a waste problem but Canada has a recycling problem as well. A lot of recycling in Canada is shipped off to landfills every day. That’s because we either lack the facilities to process our recycling or we don’t have the means of recycling certain materials.
 Canada’s total recycling rate is not known precisely. What is known, however, is Canada’s recycling rate is worse than the UK, France, and the United States.
 Every municipality is different, meaning that what’s recyclable in Toronto is not necessarily recycling in Vancouver. It varies city by city which only exacerbates common recycling issues such as contamination.

 Canada recycles only 9 percent of our plastics with the rest ending up in a landfill somewhere.
What is Canada’s worst province for waste disposal?
The province that produces the most waste in Canada is Ontario with 9.2 million tonnes annually. The next worst provinces in Canada for waste production are Quebec at 5.2 million tonnes, Alberta at 3.9 million tonnes, and BC at 2.7 million tonnes. This is somewhat to be expected as these provinces have the highest populations in the country as well.
What is the best waste disposal strategy for Canada?
Advocates in waste management and recycling are advocating for a closed-loop recycling system. This is considered the best waste disposal strategy for Canada. Another way to say it is a circular waste economy.
A closed-loop recycling system is one where there is zero non-recyclable waste produced. Society in Canada would have to consume and produce materials that were either biodegradable or recyclable, to achieve a circular waste economy. We are unfortunately a long way from achieving this.
What are the key opportunities that exist in waste and recycling for Canada?
Under a circular waste economy or a closed-loop recycling system, there are several opportunities we have today to help Canada get there. Here is a list of recommendations for what Canada can do to recycle more and waste less.
 The banning of certain single-use non-recyclable materials is a strong strategy that current governments seem to favor. With the discussed ban on plastics in Canada beginning in 2021, this is one example of something that will inch us closer to zero waste.
 Waste disposal limits legislated per household or per business is a controversial subject however it’s one that has a lot of data supporting it as a way to drive waste reduction and landfill diversion.
 At a provincial and federal level, the government has a lot of tools at their disposal to create a more waste-friendly economy. If they wanted to get it done within the next year, it’s very possible we could see significant increases in recycling. The best government recycling strategies in Canada include tax breaks or carbon offset incentives to encourage the use of recycled content, the implementation of pilot projects such as those for mattress recycling, and more.
 There has not been very much discussion at a provincial nor federal level regarding organics. That is, composting and ways to manage food waste. Despite this, composting’s seen a noticeable increase in use Canada-wide over the past two decades. More composting programs and/or organic-to-energy facilities could improve upon current waste numbers. A landfill ban on organics could also potentially assist participation.
What is Extended Producer Responsibility?
In certain parts of Canada, like BC, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) has been implemented. EPR is a system that says the responsibility to recycle and process waste is the manufacturers.
This means that instead of a city, municipality, or province having to find a manner of disposing of certain materials, the company making the product must work with a region to find an appropriate waste management system.
Some version of an EPR could be implemented nationwide or in other regions such as Ontario where the waste problem is more evident than in other areas. This is another way to make improvements to Canada’s existing waste and recycling system which, for all intents and purposes, is broke.
Why is Canada so bad at managing its waste and recycling?
Canada’s issues with managing waste have to do with an industry way underdeveloped. The sort of moves being made today, in terms of discussing a ban on single-use plastics and initiatives to further build out our waste processing network, are conversations that should have happened a decade ago.
Thankfully, the opportunities are there for change. They exist. It’s just a matter of having the economic, social, and political power to make it a reality. In our heart of hearts, we believe Canada can be a giant in recycling and waste management. Until we get serious about becoming better than ‘the worst at waste management’, Canada will be playing catch-up in crisis mode.
Are you looking for waste disposal in Toronto? If you’re a business or home in need of waste management help, dumpster or mini bin rentals, junk removal, or construction waste disposal, give us a call. We want to help. Contact a representative at Core Mini Bins today.

Wednesday 19 February 2020

What More Can We Be Doing to Recycle Construction Waste in the GTA – read here!

A massive category of waste management and waste disposal services in Toronto are construction-produced materials. Seemingly every day, we send more building waste to landfills. When the majority of this material is reusable or recyclable, it’s shocking how much receive the landfill treatment.
As we erect 100s of new units, condo buildings, apartments, and homes, construction creates waste. There is no avoiding it. A lot of this comes from demolition which on average produces over 155 pounds of waste per square foot. This adds up very quickly. When construction waste isn’t managed properly, it contributes to three effects.

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What More Can We Be Doing to Recycle Construction Waste in the GTA – read here!


 The overflowing of Ontario landfills.
 Deteriorating ecosystems.
 A loss of valuable reusable or recyclable materials.
What is construction waste?
Construction waste is defined as things like asphalt, concrete, gravel, bricks, ceramics, wood, plumbing, insulation, glass, metal, and electrical fixtures. According to an estimate by Construction Specifications Canada, construction waste makes up 23 percent of Canada’s overall waste stream.
What is the environmental impact of construction waste in our landfills?
It is easy for a construction company to dump unused or unwanted materials into a landfill. Sometimes, dumpster rentals or bin rentals for construction are provided by unethical companies without a commitment to the environment. All they care about is collecting waste, dropping it at the landfill, and getting paid. What this approach to construction waste does is have a very sizeable negative impact.
Landfills emit methane and other chemical fumes polluting the air around us. Paints, varnishes, and other hazardous chemicals that enter our landfills through construction waste cause an added effect of some of this very harmful waste seeping into the Earth. Any sort seepage like this can pollute our groundwater, destroy ecosystems and waterways, and contaminate limited freshwater supplies. This is why construction waste needs to be very carefully handled. The alternative is a level of pollution which while entirely unnecessary can also really wreck the environment around us.
How do we solve the construction waste problem in Toronto?
We can solve the construction waste problem in Toronto with a dual-pronged approach – reducing non-recyclable waste and reusing our recyclables.
Construction and demolition can’t happen without the material involved. Ensuring those are recyclable materials should be priority. Construction project managers should also ensure what they’re ordering isn’t producing leftovers that need to be tossed. Over-ordering is sadly very common. Workers should also be properly trained in recognizing salvageable or recyclable materials.
As it relates to demolition waste materials, we recommend using a deconstruction approach which involves removing materials more strategically. This minimizes the spread of potentially hazardous dust and also ensures no items or materials that are reusable end up destroyed to such a degree that they are no longer.
What does a deconstruction do for a construction waste management protocol?
A deconstruction is such a great approach to demolition and construction because not everything is necessarily waste or recycling. Some things can be salvaged and reused like they already are. Aluminum gutters, wooden beams, and copper wiring are all in high demand, as examples of what a deconstruction can procure.
Materials like these that are picked up from demolition can be sold for profit, donated, or potentially repurposed on newly constructed homes. This sort of salvaging will save the extraction of non-renewables like copper, aluminum, and steel. You’re also saving the many systems surrounding soil, water, and that gets disturbed every time we mine.
What construction materials are recyclable?
Concrete, wood, metals, and asphalt are all recyclable construction materials. The concrete industry can create new concrete from these recyclables, just like the glass recycling industry can do the same with recycled glass materials.
There’s so much more that can be recycled on a construction site as well, like light fixtures, hardware, and appliances. If possible, connect with a local charity organization. If you live in Toronto, several organizations are willing to accept furniture, appliances, light fixtures, hardware, electronics, and more from construction and demolition. It doesn’t hurt to have a relationship with a party like this. Offloading the materials you don’t want to recycle or self-manage takes some of the strain off you.
If you rent a dumpster for a construction or demolition – and let’s face it, you should! – ensure dumpsters are properly labeled as either ‘waste’ or ‘recycling’. When a worker puts waste into recycling, it could potentially contaminate what’s in there. You want to keep the bins separate and marked, ensuring recyclable materials can be recycled without issue.
What do the laws in Ontario say about construction waste?
Ontario has several regulations guiding construction, demolition, and waste disposal in development. The two main regulations are as follows.
 A requirement to provide work plans and audits.
 Construction firms must engage in source separation programs for materials including, but not limited to, brick, drywall, steel, wood, and Portland cement.
The current Ontario Conservative government is discussing several possibilities relating to maximizing construction waste recycling. The potential regulations to come include the following.
 An obligation to engage in landfill diversion efforts on every construction project.
 Waste-to-energy programs that allow construction firms to divert landfill waste by converting non-recyclable waste into energy.
 An Extended Producer Responsibility (ERP) obligation that assigns a firm responsibility to recycle to the construction company. Ontario ERP regulations already apply to tires, batteries, electronics, lighting, appliances, and paint and solvents. If allowed on constructions, this would mean materials such as flooring, carpets, furniture, tiles, lighting, electronics, and appliances would have to be recycled.
What’s somewhat problematic is that Ontario has a commitment to go waste-free by an unspecified date outlined in the Waste-Free Ontario Act, 2016. Despite the well-intentioned legislation, construction waste is not included in this commitment. The current provincial government hopes to inspire the private sector to find the solutions needed to reduce waste in contraction without imposing definitive restrictions that need to be met.
Are you looking for waste disposal for your construction waste? Core Mini Bins is a waste management firm with a commitment to landfill diversion and the reusability and recycling of construction materials. We offer dumpster and bin rentals, demolition, excavation, bobcat services, and more. Let us assist you on your next construction project to control your waste, recycling, and deconstruction. Contact a representative at Core Mini Bins today.

Saturday 15 February 2020

Demolition and excavation contractors are very important in the Toronto recycling industry. Development wouldn’t be able to continue without the use of contractors in excavations, bobcat services, and demolition.
When you need to tear a building down to make room for a new construction, you call demolition contractors. When you need a site cleared so that you can move forward with redevelopment, excavators and bobcat operators come in handy.
The obstacles in front of your construction are what Toronto contractors like us specialize in removing. When hiring an excavation, demolition, or bobcat contractor, there are no doubt questions you want answered. What your prospective contractor says in response will communicate a lot regarding how they do business and whether they’re worth hiring.
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Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Excavation, Demolition, or Bobcat Contractor


Does your excavation contractor have a business license?
Anyone with a bobcat or excavator can do the work if they’re experienced enough. They aren’t operating legally though if they aren’t under a business license. By hiring a contractor where everything’s official and they are a legitimate business, this ensures your interests are protected.
Is your excavator and demolition crew licensed, certified, and trained?
Your excavation and demolition crew should be properly certified, experienced, and fully trained. This may seem obvious but if you don’t ask this question, you could run the risk of allowing someone on your construction site with the potential to cause a health and safety accident. A safe and efficient excavation or demolition requires a specific set of skills. Techniques, tech, and safety regulations sometimes change. The contractors you hire should have updated knowledge on what the expectation is of them in their roles.
Is your excavator or demolition crew experienced?
It’s one thing to say you’re experienced and it’s another thing to be experienced. Ask about past projects your contractor has worked on. The best way to ensure a job gets done safely, according to schedule, and on budget is to go with a team that’s done this before.
Should the excavator or demolition company I hire be insured?
You want to protect your interests, as should an excavator or demolition contractor. Contractors uninsured shouldn’t even be entertained. An excavation or demolition should only be done by those properly insured and trained to carry out the work.
Does the excavator or demolition service have references?
If this is the first time hiring a Toronto excavation or demolition service, don’t hesitate to ask for references. A contractor should be used to being asked for references and willing to provide them. These will include past projects they have worked on and preferably similar environments like the one you’re asking them to work in.
How important is it to conduct an asbestos inspection before a demolition?
Asbestos is serious business. Any building that’s about to be demolished should be thoroughly inspected beforehand to ensure asbestos is safely removed. You shouldn’t be discovering asbestos as you’re undergoing deconstruction or demolition.
Asking for an estimate from an excavator or demolition service
Obviously, a big concern you may have in hiring an excavation or demolition contractor is schedule and budget. Any experienced contractor will usually provide a free no-obligation estimate on demolition and excavation, often complete with the schedule on which they would work. The quote should be fairly accurate to what the finished expense will be. It is integral to understand everything that’s included and what isn’t. Ask about the specifics. Not every estimate is the same. You don’t want a surprise come payment time, with services that weren’t originally included or additional fees.
How will the clean-up of materials be handled after demolition or excavation?
Understand how materials will be cleaned up after demolition. Sometimes, cleanup will be included in the initial estimate and quote. Other times, it can be an additional cost. Ideally, you don’t want to be handling the mess yourself although a dumpster or mini bin rental can be arranged to assist with that. As much of the materials as possible from a demolition should be recycled however, this isn’t always possible.
Is there a way to salvage demolition materials to be reused?
As a site is demolished, a lot of recoverable materials are produced. Even the concrete is recoverable. Metal is particularly desirable. An experienced Toronto demolition contractor likely has relationships with local recycling plants, waste disposal methods, and organizations open to accepting materials that will otherwise be thrown into a landfill somewhere. The more landfill space we save through a smart, eco-friendly demolition, the better.
What level of priority will health and safety be given on-site?
If you’ve ever had someone get hurt on your construction site, you know it’s not a good feeling. Health and safety should be a top priority for any contractor you hire. Especially in demolition, you want to have a safety plan in place that covers the property, the people on it, and the contractors completing the job. Minimize environmental hazards, protect others, and know the risks of hazardous materials.
What is the cancellation policy around a demolition or excavation?
The unfortunate thing about construction in Toronto is that often, plans change. There are cancellations or postponements, or unexpected events that push back the schedule and/or increase the overall cost. Before signing a contract with a demolition or excavation contractor, know what the cancellation clause is. You want to save yourself time, effort, and money, and ensure your contractor’s acting in the same way. Both parties should be aware of the risks involved.
There are no better 11 questions to ask a contractor doing excavations, demolitions, or offering bobcat services than these. If you’re looking for high-quality, reliable excavation and demolition contractors, contact Core Mini Bins today. We are more than happy to answer all these questions and any others you may have. Our utmost priority is to conduct a safe, efficient construction operation while recycling and salvaging as much of the material as possible. We maintain a commitment to excellence that is unparalleled in the industry. As your construction partner, you can hold us to that.

Sunday 9 February 2020

Where You Are Most Likely to Find Asbestos, Mold, and Water Damage in a Demolition

Completing demolitions and deconstructions, you occasionally find materials that contain asbestos, mold, or that are plagued with water damage. These construction materials usually aren’t salvageable and need to be disposed of in a very specific way.
A lot of homeowners and property managers may not even be aware that there are mold-containing materials on-site. Prior to completing a deconstruction of any kind, it is important to conduct an analysis of what’s being torn down. This will hopefully help to distinguish between materials which can be recycled and what cannot.

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Where You Are Most Likely to Find Asbestos, Mold, and Water Damage in a Demolition


Where will I find asbestos in a home or building?
Asbestos is most commonly found in cement mixed with asbestos fibres. These are known as asbestos cement, fibro, low density fiber boards, or AC sheeting. Any building component stamped with ‘AC’ may contain up to 40 percent asbestos so beware. Why asbestos and cement are such a dangerous combination is because as they age, they become dust. This means anyone can breathe it in. Here are some other areas where you find asbestos in a home for demolition.

 Textured coatings.
 Sprayed coatings on walls, beams, and columns.
 The aforementioned asbestos in construction cement used to be applied in finishings, insulation, joinings, masonry, and toppings.
 Older tiles and vinyl floors can sometimes contain asbestos.
 Asbestos insulating boards.
 Older sealants and adhesives – things like sticky tape and duct tape – can contain trace amounts of asbestos.
 There could also be loose asbestos in the ceiling or floor cavity, something which is often discovered in older homes during demolitions and renovations.
Where will I find mold in a demolition?
Mold is a fungi. It develops in places that are typically damp or wet, warm, and surrounded by humid conditions. If you have wet or damp areas in the home, it is likely you have mold that’s growing somewhere. Mold’s relatively small and can be hidden in holes or cracks. Oftentimes, we’re completely unaware of our exposure to mold. The most common areas to find mold is bathrooms, walls, under carpet, and in basements and attics.
What are common mold types you’ll find in a renovation or demolition?
If you’re deconstructing or taking apart a home, there are several types of mold you very well may find.
 Stachybotrys, otherwise known as ‘black mold’ is the most common type of toxic mold discovered in demolitions. Though it resembles black, on further examination, it is actually closer to a green-ish black.
 Cladosporium is a type of mold that is known to cause allergic reactions among human beings. For this reason, cladosporium is discovered quicker than other mold types if someone’s living in the home.
 Penicillium is a type of mold that is blue-ish in color and is considered a food contaminant.
 Alternaria can appear as black or gray mold, is easily discovered on examination, and is known to be the cause of allergic reactions.
 Aspergillus is a type of mold that can appear in a number of different colors. If you have a compromised immune system, aspergillus can cause severe harm.
Where am I likely to find water damage in a demolition?
A demolition can bring to light materials that have been water-damaged. This is most likely to occur in attics and basements. The attic, for example, doesn’t see much traffic. Though attics make a great storage space, they can also be damaged by leaks in the roof which can subsequently cause mold issues. You wouldn’t be none the wise either because we visit so rarely.
Basements and crawl spaces are also prone to water damage, as the lowest point of your property. Hard rains bring water that, if the ground doesn’t soak it up, can find their way in. Foundations can deteriorate and allow water to flow underneath a home. A plumbing leak can also potentially create a leak.
Water damaged materials in a demolition can sometimes be salvaged but not always. Some otherwise recyclable materials can be ruined depending on the condition. If you have any concerns, it’s best to speak with a waste disposal and demolition expert such as Core Mini Bins who are more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
What is deconstruction?
If you want a demolition to simply knock down a property and clear the site, this is easily accomplished but it is a little dated. These days, more demolition contractors are moving to becoming deconstructionists. What we mean by this is that ‘deconstruction’ is the act of dismantling a building with the singular goal of maximizing the recycling value of materials removed.
Deconstruction is an eco-friendly version of demolitions. The great thing about a deconstruction is that, in some cases, mold, water damaged materials, and asbestos is carefully removed and doesn’t affect the value of the rest of the materials.
Whether you choose a deconstruction or a more classic version of a demolition, the resulting demolition waste will be broken down into smaller, more manageable pieces and then sorted and/or salvaged, or sent to the landfill if they don’t possess any long-term value. There are numerous factors that go into what kind of demolition your project may require, from one’s schedule to the cost of recycling and more.
How do I maximize the recyclability of my demolition materials?
It is estimated that on average 75 percent of waste materials collected from a Toronto demolition’s recyclable. A great way to maximize how much of your demolition you recycle begins with the list below.
 List all materials onsite before the demolition commences, identifying any hazardous materials or materials which you believe are rendered unrecyclable.
 Identify any salvaging or recycling opportunities that may exist before you start the demolition.
 Connect with facilities in the local area that accept the materials you’re going to create through your renovation or demolition.
Connect with a demolition contractor committed to recycling, reusing, and minimizing landfill waste. Core Mini Bins handles everything from demolition to waste disposal, dumpster rentals, junk removal, and more. We have a lot of relationships with facilities in the area, allowing you to minimize what has to be sent to the landfill.
There’s so much that can be reused from a demolition or renovation, including appliances, architectural details, concrete, bricks, carpet, asphalt, aggregates, drywall, electrical components, doors, windows, cabinets, countertops, gates, railings, glass, heating and cooling systems, light fixtures, metals, wood, paper, plastics, and more. Core Mini Bins can help.
Source: https://www.garbagebinrentals.ca/waste-collection-removal-disposal-blog/757-where-you-are-most-likely-to-find-asbestos-mold-and-water-damage-in-a-demolition.html

Wednesday 5 February 2020

Top Trendy, Exciting New Recycling Tech Making Waves in 2020

Every year, the world pushes forward with tech discoveries, recycling processes, and facilities providing new methods to rehabilitate materials that would otherwise be sent to the landfill. As we’re still early on in 2020, we’ve decided to put together a quick countdown of new, exciting recycling technologies that are at various stages of development. These new, high-tech advancements have the potential to make some big changes to how Canada recycles.

Top-Trendy-Exciting-New-Recycling-Tech-Making-Waves-in-2020

Top Trendy, Exciting New Recycling Tech Making Waves in 2020


Rare Earth elements recycling
We likely face a future where we rely on technology to clean up our messes despite the most obvious approach being to cut down on waste as a whole. Companies like Apple have dedicated significant parts of their R&D to finding how to build electrical components from recyclables. The iPhone 11 impressively used a set of 17 metals recycled for its phones, a feat which experts deemed impossible to do years earlier. The world is changing and with that, products using recycled materials face the brightest future.
Nuclear waste recycling
One of the most impressive recycling tech discoveries in the last six months is a process which recycles nuclear waste. Previously believed to be useless and incredibly dangerous, at the University of Bristol researchers have been able to transform nuclear waste into batteries with capacity to provide power for 1,000s of years. The technology is still in its developing stages, infusing nuclear waste extracted from graphic blocks with wafer-thin diamonds to create a battery which could be used in devices like hearing aids and pacemakers, or even to power spacecraft.
Robotic arm sorter
Various versions of robotic arm sorters are being used at recycling facilities all over the world. Recently built facilities have an even more advanced robotic arm sorter with the capacity to recognize different materials and essentially complete the job without human intervention. Although this sort of automation has some worried in the waste management industry, it demonstrates a lesser cost for facilities to operate which could equate to more facilities in the decades to come.
Apple’s Daisy
Daisy is a material sorting technology invented by Apple. It sorts through more than 200 iPhones every hour, recycling every one for the precious metals utilized in their design. Metals are recyclable because they don’t lose their properties when you recycle them. In an era, where there’s so much electronic waste, there’s a growing interest in metal sorting and material procurement that avoids losing these metals to landfills where they don’t belong.
Li-Cycle lithium battery recycling processes
As an operator, Li-Cycle has come up with a way to recycle between 80 to 100 percent of batteries through mechanize size reduction and material recovery. The process begins by shredding down the packs and battery cells. Then a hydrometallurgical process is used take what’s recyclable after the fact, after a chemical reaction. This process turns hazardous waste into non-hazardous waste. Absolutely spectacular!
Tyton BioSciences clothing recycling
The fashion industry creates a lot of clothing waste on an annual basis but through tech and processes like that at Tyton BioSciences, raw materials like cotton pulp and polyester can be retrieved and made into new fabrics. Using hydrothermal processes involving water, heat and pressure, this is one of the cleanest ways to recycle fabrics in this way and could expand in the years to come to include virtually any clothing type. If this ends up being the case, this would eliminate the trillions of pounds of clothing waste generated in any given year.
Pyrowave plastics recycling
As one will find a lot of recycling tech is targeting the recycling or processing of plastics. The Pyrowave corporation has come up with a way to regenerate non-recyclable by breaking them down into ‘monomers’ to then be made into new resins that are near identical to virgin plastics. For traditional non-recyclable plastics like PP, PE, PS, and others, this is a major breakthrough suggesting that maybe one day in Canada there may be no such thing as non-recyclable plastic.
Flameless oxy-combustion
Originally designed for the oil and gas industry, flameless oxy-combustion could potentially help recycle unsorted plastics. The process of flameless oxy-combustion produces water, energy, and pure carbon dioxide that is not emitted into the atmosphere. For non-recyclable mixed plastics, this may prove to be a way to regain the energy lost in the manufacturing of plastics while converting the material into usable materials.
UBQ
UBQ is another company that’s focused on producing eco-friendly plastics from recycled materials. UBQ uses unsorted household waste to do so however, converting it into eco-sustainable, biodegradable thermoplastics which can be applied in commercial and industrial projects. This is alternative to the petroleum-based plastics that are used today in such applications. By creating natural resources from general items guaranteed to be sent to the landfill, you avoid harmful gases from decomposition, landfill space given away, and more. The company’s process is believed to save 11.7 kg of carbon dioxide equivalents for every 1 kg of plastics produced.
Loop
Loop is an initiative launched by TerraCycle in 2019 that takes reusable containers we typically throw out – things like mayonnaise containers and Tide detergent containers – and gives them back to the manufacturer to be refilled and sold back into the consumer base. This is a great example of a recycling process that reduces what households are putting into the waste stream.
Pyrowave styrofoam recycling
Pyrowave, in addition to recycling plastics, has a chemical process by which to break down styrofoam and remanufacture it into new styrofoam. The polystyrene molecules break down via microwave-like technology, resulting in styrene which can then be chemically processed and returned in polystyrene form. Considering how more than four fifths of the styrofoam we use in Canada ends up in our landfills, this is an ideal solution to cut down on yet another source of waste.
This is just a little insight into where recycling technologies are at in the first half of 2020. Development continues to speed up on creating products made entirely from recyclables in addition to finding ways to recycle what was formerly thought of as impossible to recycle. For the first time in over a century, a true zero waste society here in Canada seems very possible. Core Mini Bins supports sustainable waste disposal practices, focusing on recycle, refuse, and landfill diversion. Don’t hesitate to speak with one of our representatives for waste disposal, dumpster rentals, junk removal, and waste management services.