The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County wants to see as much of the debris from construction and demolition projects recycled as possible.
Yet Andrew Quigley, the agency's executive director, acknowledges that builders won't have an economic incentive to recycle until the cost of dumping in landfills increases.
Landfill dumping fees are currently about $36 per ton, said Quigley. He estimated that if the cost reached $50 per ton, it would become economical to divert construction and demolition materials for recycling.
In the meantime, SWALCO plans to prepare educational material for Lake County developers and contractors, and develop a pilot recovery project. The agency also expects to create a model of bid specifications that municipalities can use to request maximum recycling of demolition and construction materials on municipal projects.