Responsible waste management at IRS Demo is not just a matter of meeting government regulations —
it’s a matter of living up to our principles.
RECYCLE
IRS Demo is the only interior demolition contractor in the country that runs its own recycling facility. We provide diversion by both commodity and toxicity, and we exceed the standards set forth by the USGBC LEED program. IRS is also an approved E-Waste collector, appliance and refrigerant recycler and trained in universal waste handling and reporting. In addition, IRS operates an audited and certified waste facility, verified by the Recycling Certification Institute. Don’t just take our word for it — read their report here.
California State law requires that a minimum of 65% of all construction and demolition debris be recycled. Failure to document this can result in delays in obtaining Certificate of Occupancy or even final construction permit sign off. IRS Demo is unique in the fact that we recycle by material, not just by gross weight, which means that we exceed those goals and work to keep the most toxic materials out of the landfill.
The dirty secret that most waste companies don’t want you to know is that diversion is calculated by weight. A recycling facility only has to divert a certain percentage of the material that comes to them (by weight) in order to meet state guidelines. When a demo company takes your debris to a “recycling” facility they get a diversion statement for the facility average.
When a demo company takes your debris to a “typical” waste management facility, the facility turns around and sells the heavy, valuable materials like concrete, metals, wood, and asphalt, thus diverting a majority of the material by weight and meeting official recycling regulations. So what happens to all of the lightweight toxic material from commercial interior projects? It goes straight to a landfill, instead of being responsibly managed. In other words, they’re finding ways to pollute the environment and still meet state recycling regulations.
Because we operate our own recycling facility and focus primarily on interior demolition, IRS Demo gets very little concrete and asphalt. This requires us to carefully sort your demolition materials in order to meet diversion goals. Our thorough recycling ensures that the most toxic and harmful materials never end up in landfills, but rather are recycled or diverted properly and safely.
It would be easier to take in tons of concrete and do the minimum recycling needed to meet environmental regulations, but to us it is a moral issue. That’s why IRS Demo will always take the most ecologically responsible route, no matter the cost.
Our unique method of recycling has earned us multiple awards from the following organizations:
REUSE FOR DONATIONS
IRS works with hundreds of local and international charities including churches, schools, animal shelters, and fire agencies to ensure that materials don’t go to waste. IRS donates between 30 and 100 tons of recovered items from job sites every month. To date, we have donated more than 15,000 tons of materials and reintroduced them into the communities from which they came.
We repurpose office furniture, appliances, carpets, artwork and more to make sure that reusable materials will be donated to those in need and you can rest assured that your things aren’t going to waste.