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Construction & Demolition

What do contractors need to know about C&D requirements in Marin?

The County of Marin aligns with CALGreen requirements, which mandate that applicants seeking construction and/or demolition permits for projects 5,000 square feet and more to track and divert a minimum of 65% of the discards created during the project. Diversion is achieved through recycling or reuse. All contractors and sub-contractors are responsible for the proper management of the C&D debris on the project site. This may involve separating recyclable materials from non-recyclable materials before hauling to a recycling or disposal facility in order to achieve 65% diversion.

Additionally, The Mandatory Water Efficiency Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) requires all landscaping projects that require a building permit, plan check, or design review to follow a Landscape Plan. Contact Marin Water and North Marin Water District for help with your landscaping plan.

Where can I drop off building material waste?

Mixed C&D Processing Facilities – Accept materials for re-processing (e.g. grinding for use as gravel). California state law requires facilities to achieve a 65% recycling rate; confirm that you are dropping off at a facility that meets these standards.

Reuse Facilities – Accept materials in good condition for use as-is in other building projects (e.g. re-installing tile or cabinetry). Confirm with each site what they will accept and any standards for donation before drop-off.

Hazardous Materials – Must be specially handled and disposed of per California State Law, to avoid hazards to human or environmental health.

Click into each of the drop-down menus below to view facility information for each category.

Mixed C&D Processing Facilities

Marin Resource Recovery Center

565 Jacoby St.
San Rafael, CA 94901
(415) 485-5646

Windsor Materials Recovery Center
590 Caletti Ave.
Windsor, CA 95492i
(707) 838-2597

Bee Green Recycling & Supply

725 Independent Rd.
Oakland, CA 94621
(510) 636-0852

Davis Street Transfer Station
2615 Davis St.
San Leandro, CA 94577

(510) 638-2303

Certified Blue Recycling

2075 Williams St

San Leandro, CA 94577

(510)-346-8800

GreenLynx

3403 Santa Rosa Ave.
Santa Rosa, CA 95407
Wed-Fri 10am – 5 pm, Sat 10am – 4pm.
Tues by appointment only.
(707) 787-5969

Heritage Salvage
1473 Petaluma Blvd. S.
Petaluma, CA 94952
9:00 am – 5:00 pm Tues – Fri
10:00 am – 4:00 pm Sat
(707) 762-6277

 

ReStore
1201 Piner Road, Suite 500
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
11:00 am – 4:00 pm Mon-Sat
(707) 568-3228

Building Resources 
701 Amador St.
San Francisco, CA 94124
9:00 am – 3:00 pm Mon – Sun
(415) 285-7814

Urban Ore
900 Murray St.
Berkeley, CA 94710
8:30 am – 5:00 pm Mon – Sat
10:00 am – 5:00 pm Sun
(510) 841-7283

The Reuse People
9235 San Leandro St.
Oakland, CA 94603
9:00 am – 6:00 pm Mon – Sat
(510) 383-1983

Hazardous Materials – The following materials listed below are considered Hazardous Waste and if you find them during your deconstruction projects, you must drop them off at a permitted facility. In Marin, these facilities are in San Rafael and Novato.

  • Asbestos
  • Ballasts
  • Fluorescent and LED lightbulbs
  • Paint
  • Smoke Detectors
  • Treated Wood Waste*
    • *Treated Wood Waste cannot be dropped off at the San Rafael or Novato locations. A list of California facilities licensed to take Treated Wood Waste can be found here. 

How do I prepare a Construction & Demolition Recycling Plan?

Every applicant must download and complete a C&D Recycling Plan. Completion of a Recycling Plan form is required for each project that meets CALGreen requirements for waste diversion (projects of 5,000+ square feet requiring a C&D permit), however we recommend that the form be completed for any project that generates C&D debris. The form can be filled out by either the project’s Owner or Contractor. Click the dropdowns below for details on how to prepare your plan.

Step One: Filling Out Your Forms

  • There are two forms for applicants to choose from. All projects can utilize the Easy Method. The Advanced Method is an alternative that should be used if a Zero Waste Marin Certified Facility is not used for C&D recycling, or to assist in calculating and documenting C&D diversion that is higher than 65%.
    • The Easy Method (pdf) (184KB) is utilized to reuse as much recoverable materials as possible, then recycle all the remaining source-separated or mixed C&D debris at a Zero Waste Marin Certified Facility. Simply turn in all the Zero Waste Marin Certified Facility receipts attached to your Diversion Form prior to final inspection.
    • The Advanced Method (pdf) (187KB) requires that the applicant prepare a Construction Waste Management Plan detailing how C&D debris will be source separated, reused, recycled or otherwise diverted from landfill. Select this method if you intend to deliver building materials to a facility that has not achieved a certification to meet CALGReen standards, and/or to assist in calculating and documenting C&D diversion that is higher than 65%. 
  • Turn in the first two pages to your jurisdiction’s building department before starting work. Each jurisdiction may have slightly different requirements depending on their local practices or laws, so it’s important to work with the jurisdiction’s building department BEFORE the project to ensure your plan complies with their requirements. 

Check out your jurisdiction’s permit process below:

Step Two: Drop Off / Dispose of Materials

  • The County of Marin requires that projects of 5,000 square feet or more to track and divert a minimum of 65% of the discards created during the project away from landfills. Diversion is achieved through recycling or reuse.
  • Zero Waste Marin maintains a list of facilities that have demonstrated that they meet the minimum 65% diversion when C&D materials are brought to their facility. Note that project managers / contractors are responsible for verifying this diversion.
  • For a list of facilities that process C&D waste and/or reuse materials as-is, see the section on this webpage titled “Where Can I Drop Off Building Material Waste?”.
  • Keep a copy of all your weight tickets, which will be submitted with the final plan for verification purposes.

Step Three: Submission and Approval

  • Work with the Building Department staff to work through the paperwork and rectify any mistakes that may be holding up the permit approval process.
    • Depending on the type and size of the project, an onsite inspection by the local jurisdiction or county may be warranted before the project is finalized. If your project has multiple permits, make sure to have records for each permit and any information that links these permits to the same project.
    • Each jurisdiction may have slightly different requirements depending on their local practices or laws, so it’s important to work with the correct jurisdiction’s building department for guidance.
    • You can also fill out our Zero Waste Marin Contact Us Form and our Senior Project Coordinator will get back to you within 48 hours.
  • You should submit the form to the building counter in the jurisdiction where your project was completed. For projects located in unincorporated areas of Marin County, forms must be submitted to the Community Development Agency.

What is Deconstruction?

Deconstruction refers to the practice of dismantling parts of or an entire building with the goal of reusing materials as-is, rather than demolishing the building as quickly as possible. This offers a local opportunity to reduce debris sent to the landfill, greenhouse gas emissions, and the harmful effects of extracting new resources from the Earth. The steps in the deconstruction process include:

  1. Ask your contractor/builder about deconstruction instead of demolition
  2. Contact a reuse organization for recommended deconstruction firms
  3. Check County permitting guidance on deconstruction and waste diversion
  4. Select deconstruction firm and complete work
  5. Work with a professional appraiser to document materials for tax deduction*
    • *This requires a qualified third-party appraiser if the value exceeds $5,000. Many of these businesses/certified facilities have a list of certified appraisers that they consistently work with, who will ensure you get an accurate value of all items that can be reused.

Learn more about deconstruction by downloading our Deconstruction Brochure in English or Spanish.

Additional Construction & Demolition Resources

Learn more about self-hauling in Marin with the Self-Haul Guide!

The Zero Waste Marin self-haul guide covers information about self-hauling regular waste and Construction & Demolition waste. Read this guide to learn more about the rules for self-hauling to facilities, and information about the relevant facilities in Marin County. 

Marin County Self-Haul Guide in English (pdf)
Guia de Autotransporte del Condado del Marin (pdf)

Construction & Demolition FAQs

After completion of your project, you must submit your Waste Management Plan with the weight tickets included to your city’s Building Department/Community Development Agency. For instance, if the project took place in the unincorporated county, you would submit the plan to the County’s Community Development Agency. Each jurisdiction handles  the submission process differently, but generally you can bring it to them in person or submit it all via email.

The project manager or contractor is responsible for directing C&D materials for recycling. When possible, consider deconstruction and reuse first. If space and time allow, provide multiple on-site debris boxes for separating materials such as clean wood and metal for recycling.

Taking Mixed C&D debris to a Zero Waste Marin Certified Facility is strongly recommended to ensure compliance with state and local laws. The list of Zero Waste Marin Certified Facilities can be found above and is also included in the C&D Diversion form.

Focus on reuse and deconstruction first. Source separation of materials at your project site will increase diversion. Many Zero Waste Marin Certified Facilities specialize in reuse and deconstruction to support the highest and best use of building materials. Reuse and deconstruction practices can also assist with Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED®) and other green building project certifications. Recycling of C&D debris is required by state law.

Take all remaining C&D debris to a Certified Facility for recycling and be sure to ask that mixed materials be sorted for recycling!

Claim the diversion rate set by the Certified Facility used for recycling C&D debris.

Take all remaining C&D debris to a Certified Facility for recycling and be sure to ask that mixed materials be sorted for recycling!

CALGreen requires a minimum of 65% of C&D waste to be recycled and/or salvaged for reuse, or that permit applicants meet a local C&D ordinance, whichever is more stringent.

Projects with a demolition-only permit (not included with a construction permit) are outside the scope of the CALGreen building code. Contact your jurisdiction to learn about recycling requirements in demolition-only projects should they occur.

Non-residential:

  • Any new construction project that requires a permit
  • Any demolition project that requires a permit
  • Any additions that require a permit
  • Any alterations that require a permit

Residential:

  • Any new construction project that requires a permit
  • Any demolition project that requires a permit
  • Any additions or alterations that increase the building’s conditioned area, volume, or size