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What products can be salvaged?

Most items recovered from existing buildings can be reused or recycled into usable materials.

The largest contribution to the landfill and cleanfill will be when a building reaches the end of its useful life.
The method of building removal determines whether a building becomes waste or provides building materials for reuse. Traditional demolition methods can produce a lot of waste by destroying the component parts. Deconstruction - careful and selective dismantling and separation for reuse and recycling - reduces the volume of waste disposed to landfill and cleanfill and allows the removal of components in a form that can easily be reused.
Most buildings that have reached the end of their desired life or are undergoing renovations have materials and systems that still have some useful life.

Doors and windows

  • Doors, aluminium steel or timber - reuse with full frame and hardware or remove the glass, recycle the frame and reuse the glass. (Old doors and windows may be reused in small garden sheds and similar buildings but BRANZ does not recommend their reuse in buildings that require building consent and/or are used for human habitation.)
  • Overhead doors - reuse (springs can have a short lifetime, so replace these).
  • Mechanical closers - reuse.
  • Panic hardware - reuse.
  • Unframed glass mirrors - reuse.
  • Store fronts - reuse, best to be kept in one unit.
  • Glass from windows and doors - reuse.
  • Timber or metal from frames - recycle.

Electrical and plumbing fixtures and fittings

  • Baths, sinks, toilets - reuse.
  • Taps - reuse, metal is recyclable.
  • Switches - reuse.
  • Light fittings - reuse.
  • Service equipment - reuse stoves, heaters, air conditioners; all metal components recyclable.
  • Wiring - recycle without insulation.

Hazardous materials

In the interests of health and safety, you should check the removal and disposal requirements of hazardous materials with your city or district council. Hazardous wastes from demolition of buildings include:

  • fluorescent light ballasts manufactured prior to 1978 - contain PCBs
  • fluorescent lamps - contain mercury
  • refrigeration, air conditioning and other equipment that contains refrigerants made using CFCs
  • batteries - contain lead, mercury and acid
  • paints, solvents and other hazardous fluids
  • asbestos-based materials – removing asbestos from a building or site is covered by government regulations. Find more details on the Level website
  • materials with lead-based finishes.

Insulation

Old insulation may be reused in renovation work, such as adding insulation under the floors or in the roof spaces of existing buildings that have none. Reusing old insulation in new building work is not recommended because its R-value may not be known and building consent authorities may be unwilling to accept it as Building Code-compliant.

  • Fibreglass/mineral wool/polyester batt insulation - reuse.
  • Rigid fibreglass insulation - reuse.
  • Polystyrene rigid insulation - reuse, metal part of sandwich panel is recyclable.
  • Loose-fill chip/pellet/shreds - reuse

Linings and finishings

  • Carpet/carpet tiles - reuse for original purpose or for planting projects, recycle.
  • Terracotta tile - reuse, otherwise recycle with concrete and masonry.
  • Architraves, skirtings, scotia, trim - reuse or recycle if damaged.
  • Timber panelling - reuse/recycle; if untreated, check regarding paint/varnish finishes.
  • Specialty timber fittings - reuse (includes mantels, built-in shelving, bookcases, mouldings and window sashes).
  • Joinery - reuse/recycle.

Timber products from demolition

  • Engineered wood panels (EWPs) - reuse.
  • Native timbers - recycle/reuse lengths greater than 0.6 metres, recycle architectural features that have no borer or other damage, preferably nail-free.
  • Hardwood timbers - recycle/reuse lengths greater than 0.6 metres, recycle architectural features that have no borer or other damage, preferably nail-free.
  • Hardwood flooring - reuse if tongue and groove flooring; thin strip flooring is not reusable (too thin for refinishing).
  • Laminated beams - reuse.
  • Timber truss joists - reuse.

More information

Relevant case studies