Burns Services diverts more than 1.2 million tons of C&D materials from landfills

Burn Services, a Philadelphia-based recycling and materials recovery firm, has reported diversion of more than 1.2 million tons of construction and demolition (C&D) materials from landfills between 2021 and 2025. The data stems from the release of internal operational data ahead of World Recycling Day March 18.

Established in the 1960s initially as a one-person local cleanout operation, Burns Services now operates recycling and material recovery operations that process C&D debris generated across the region. The company also provides dumpster services and its TommyCart units across multiple other markets.

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According to Burns Services, the material recovery data totals reflect a wide range of C&D streams processed through the company’s recycling and diversion operations and redirected into downstream recycling, beneficial reuse and energy recovery markets.

Recovered materials include:

• 280,000+ tons of barrier and beneficial reuse materials;
• 75,000+ tons of concrete, brick and block;
• 53,000+ tons of wood processed into biomass fuel for energy recovery;
• 48,000+ tons of gypsum and plasterboard from construction and renovation projects;
• 33,000+ tons of iron;
• 530,000+ pounds of nonferrous metals;
• 13,000+ tons of cardboard;
• 4,700+ tons of plastic buckets;
• 2,200+ tons of plastics; and
• 400+ tons of carpet padding.

Much of this material originates from construction, renovation and demolition projects where debris is separated and processed to maximize recovery and reduce landfill disposal, the company says.

Allen Burns, president of Burns Services, says demand for material recovery continues to increase as contractors and developers look to improve diversion rates and meet project sustainability goals.

“Construction activity continues to generate significant volumes of recoverable material,” Burns says. “By improving sorting and recovery processes, C&D recyclers can redirect large amounts of material into reuse and recycling markets that historically would have been landfilled.”