Diversion and Recycling Tracking tool helps measure green performance

In 2011, Waste Management formally launched their Diversion and Recycling Tracking tool (DART) to help project planners, contractors, architects and building owners measure their green performance during a construction, renovation, and demolition project. The service, which is available across the US and Canada, operates online and is accessible 24-hours a day to monitor C&D recycling, tabulate total diversion rates and provide documentation to support LEED certification.  

Waste Management says today there is an increasing demand for sustainable construction, such as higher reuse and recycling rates. At every construction site, builders have an opportunity to divert a variety of C&D traditional items from the landfill, such as wood, rock, metal, cardboard and plastic. In addition, there may be nontraditional items that can be put to reuse, like shingles, concrete, fiberboard and paneling.  

With so many substances to manage, calculating total diversion has traditionally been a time-consuming process, involving extensive labor, math and excel sheets.  

DART technology was created by Waste Management to:

• Measure recycling and diversion easily.

• Set clear benchmarks for companies to exceed on future projects, contributing to sustainable operations long-term.

• Allow builders to promote their environmental performance.  

While DART has only been available since midyear, 2011, Waste Management says it has already had some successes. Balfour Beatty became the first adopter of the DART tool, using it to track their performance throughout construction of the Choice Energy building in Houston, TX. Through sound logistical planning and tracking, the project reached a diversion rate of more than 90 percent.  

"Success is only meaningful if it can be measured", said Jim Halter, vice president of construction solutions for Waste Management. "With the DART tool, contractors and architects can really zero in on what they are diverting and where there is opportunity to improve. We are not just tracking performance for the present, but also setting benchmarks to be surpassed in the future."  

Some other features of the DART tool, include:

• Personalized "green facts" that illustrate environmental performance.

• Results 24/7 from every project level – individual, company and Metropolitan Statistical Area.

• Graphs and charts displaying diversion and recycling rates.  

For more information about the DART tool, visit www.wm.com/DART.