This research is an overview of the sustainability and wood waste management practices of the construction industry with a focus on Cincinnati, Ohio. Waste reduction at the source and wood recycling are solutions to overfilling landfills and wasting construction materials, while also providing a best practice example for sustainable management within the construction industry. Interviews were conducted with owners of three construction companies within the Cincinnati area to gain insight into their waste management practices and their efforts toward sustainability. In this research, I answer how waste management practices are used to reduce wood waste going to the landfill and the potential solutions to adding wood to the landfill using the case study of Scrap2Home. In partnership with three local construction companies, Scrap2Home collects wood that would otherwise end up in the landfill and uses it to create high-quality furniture which is donated to people who can not afford it. This work has helped better inform my knowledge about the construction industry and waste management strategies that will help prepare me for a future working in any field dealing with sustainability, especially in construction or waste management.
Author(s): Katie Francis, Geography and Sustainable Development Major
Advisor(s): Marcia England, Department of Geography
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