Frequently Asked Questions

If you other questions regarding the Construction & Demolition (C&D) Ordinance, contact Paki Muthig, Building Official, at (510) 420-3062.

Are there any additional City fees associated with these requirements?

No. There are no additional City fees associated with the requirement to recycle C&D debris.

Back to top

Am I required to use Richmond Sanitary Service to haul recyclable and non-recyclable debris?

Yes. Richmond Sanitary Service (dba Republic Services) has an exclusive franchise for the removal of solid waste and recyclable material from properties within the City limits.

Back to top

May I self-haul the debris?

Contractors or any other paid hauler other than Richmond Sanitary Service MAY NOT remove the debris for the property owner exceptions include:

  • Materials for which the property owner received payment
  • Materials that are donated by the property owner to a youth, civic, or charitable organization
  • Materials that are transported personally by the property owner to the solid waste and/or recycling facility
  • Construction and demolition debris where the property owner holds a building permit with a construction value of $50,000 or less, and such construction project was done by the property owner, or done as part of a total service offered by a licensed company or by the City, and where the licensed company uses its own equipment and employees, and no debris boxes are used for the collection and transportation of such construction and demolition debris

Back to top

Can I salvage or reuse materials, fixtures and appliances?

Yes. Applicants are encouraged to salvage and reuse materials and fixtures such as bricks, windows, light fixtures, porcelain fixtures, fireplace mantles and more per the Salvaged Material Form (SMF). If you do salvage or reuse, you will need to submit a SMF along with weight estimates and receipts from salvage vendors to the City to document that you have diverted at least 65% of the C&D materials from the landfill. Please refer to the Builders' Guide to Reuse & Recycling for information on salvage and reuse service providers which is available at City Hall.

Back to top

How do I estimate the weight of materials reused or salvaged?

You should use the City approved Conversion Table for Salvage and Reuse to estimate the weight of these materials.

The following conversion rates are estimates. The ranges vary widely, depending on how the materials are handled (compacted, loose, chipped, etc.). Use the conversion factors and receipts from previous projects to help you estimate the potential amount of materials and waste. Take into consideration the type and load of vehicles that will be used to haul the materials. Ask your hauler or recycler to assist you in estimating these numbers.

Material Lbs/cy Tons/cy
Aphalt 1,400 lbs/cy 0.7 tons/cy
Cardboard 100 lbs/cy 0.05 tons/cy
Concrete 2,600 lbs/cy
(Sources range from 1,000 to 4,000)		 1.3 tons/cy
Drywall 700 lbs/cy 0.35 tons/cy
Wood (chipped) 300 - 650 lbs/cy 0.15 – 0.3 tons/cy
Mixed C&D Debris 900 lbs/cy 0.45 tons/cy
Mixed Waste/Trash 100 - 350 lbs/cy 0.5 - 0.175 tons/cy

Back to top

How do I comply with the Diversion Goal if more than 65% of the debris generated is not recyclable?

If unique circumstances make it infeasible for you to comply with the Diversion Goal, you may apply, in writing, to the Building Official for an exemption.

Back to top

What is the penalty for not complying with the Ordinance?

Violation of a City ordinance, such as the Construction and Demolition Debris Recycling Ordinance, is considered an infraction that may result in a fine.

Back to top

Are these requirements really necessary?

Yes. C&D debris represents a significant portion of the City's overall waste stream. Keeping these materials out of landfills is an essential part of the City's plan for:

  • Fulfilling the City's own environmental and waste reduction goals;
  • Complying with the State's Integrated Waste Management Act*; and
  • Meeting Piedmont's diversion goal of 75%

* AB 939 requires every city and county in the State to reduce the quantity of materials disposed at landfills by at least 50% (by weight) from 1990, or potentially face fines for non-compliance.

Construction & Demolition Debris Ordinance 

Effective May 17, 2017, the City's Construction and Demolition Debris Ordinance (as defined in the Green Building Standards of Chapter 5 of the Municipal Code) states:

Newly constructed residential buildings, projects increasing a building's conditioned area, volume or size, or having a building permit valuation greater than or equal to $50,000 are required to divert at least 65 percent of the debris generated by the project from going to a landfill. This includes all construction, demolition, and/or renovation projects within the City.

The project applicant is required to submit a completed and signed documentation of compliance through the Debris Recycling Statement (DRS) (PDF) prior to the issuance of a building permit. Prior to the start of construction/demolition, the project applicant is required to submit a Drop Box - Dumpster Application (PDF). Richmond Sanitary Service, the City's franchised waste hauler, will work with the project applicant to ensure that at least 65 percent of the debris generated is recycled. Richmond Sanitary Service will verify that the contents of the drop box were recyclable and recycled and will submit to the City an accounting of the weight and types of materials diverted. Do not place non-recyclable material in the construction and demolition recycling drop box! Please note that if the drop box intended for the collection of mixed recyclable debris is contaminated with debris that is not recyclable, the contents of the box will be treated as waste (non-recyclable material) and taken to the landfill. As a result, applicants will forfeit their eligibility to receive a rebate for half the cost of the box through the Incentive program and will be responsible for the full cost of the box.