Concrete Disposal Doesn't Need To Be A DIY Project

Concrete disposal can be one of the most labor intensive and even hazardous tasks of cleaning up a construction site. Simply moving, staging, and removing the debris can be tough and properly disposing of it is another matter altogether.

Does Concrete Disposal Have to be Difficult?

There are few tasks on a construction site that involve as much hard work and even hazardous work than clearing out and hauling off concrete debris and waste. Depending on the size and nature of the project, old concrete can be a major hauling challenge.

Most contractors will find that their choices for concrete disposal comes down to simply just these two options:

1. They can use their own trucks and crew and do it themselves

2. They can hire someone else to come in and do it for them

The first option - the DIY apporach - involves some logistics and pre-planning if your going to do it safely and efficiently. Depending on the size of the job and the volume of concrete waste involved, it can be a challenging and even formidable task, especially for the smaller contractor with limited vehicles and manpower.

On top of that, there is usually re-bar and other metals to be handled, as well as potentially hazardous waste materials attached to or mixed in with the concrete debris. In other words, it's not a simple "sweep up and toss out" type of job.

Concrete disposal is difficult and even dangerous because it is heavy and unwieldy. Even transporting concrete debris can be a challenge. In California, although not normally classified as a hazardous material, the rules defining concrete and masonry materials can be confusing.

In fact, according to one article, the EPA “defines hazardous wastes in several ways, one of them being whether or not it is what is called a "characteristic" hazardous waste. Does the waste meet certain stated characteristics?”

Based on standards established by the EPA, if a material has a pH greater than 12.5, it is considered a corrosive material and, by definition, a hazardous waste. All of this means that the proper disposal of concrete involves much more than simply tossing it in the back of a truck and hauling it off to the landfill.

Option Number Two: Outsourcing Your Concrete Disposal

Like most other decisions a contractor faces, you have a couple of choices when it comes to "outsourcing" your trash hauling jobs. For example, it is tempting to simply had this particular job off onto a local guy who has an old truck and then hope it gets done right and doesn't take too long. This can be a viable option, but the truth is you have a higher risk of running into additional problems using a "guy with a truck".

A friend with an available pickup truck may be cheaper than hiring a licensed professional, but the risks outweigh the benefits, especially if you are cleaning a construction site. In the event that something bad happens, that guy in a pickup truck could end up costing you a great deal more in the end in terms of both time and money.

There are the real issues of safety risks, potential for damage or theft, liability, and other legal risks. In other words, the possibility of getting it done cheaper could end up costing you far more than you bargained for.

Getting It Done Right - Hiring a Professional

Ultimately, the best option of all is to outsource your concrete disposal to a professional, licensed firm such as Junk King, and rest assured that any disposal of concrete will be handled safely, quickly and properly. Because concrete is a great candidate for recycling, you can also know that your concrete debris will be put to the best uses possible.

Junk King provides an efficient, safe and eco-friendly construction waste disposal service so you don’t need to worry about the pick up or disposal of the debris after your project is complete. Whether you need our services several times during a construction project or just once after it is complete, our hauling professionals will ensure that the construction debris is out of your way so that you can get on with the job.

Our team specializes in construction trash removal. We can be at your facility in mere minutes, so call us today! Our crew is fully insured and well-trained, so you can trust them to get rid of your unwanted items in a professional and courteous fashion. One of the best things about hiring Junk King is that we recycle a much of the material we pick-up. This is proof of our commitment to being an eco-friendly removal service. If you have questions about what we do or what we believe, give us a call at (707) 744-4254.