Terri Ward has spent the last 20-plus years as a member of the Construction & Demolition Recycling Association (CDRA). Six of those years, she served as a member of the board of directors before stepping into her current role as executive director in November.
Over those two decades, Ward has seen a number of changes and developments in the realm of construction and demolition (C&D). One thing that hasn’t changed in that time is the role C&D World, an annual event put on by CDRA, plays in the industry.
C&D World celebrated its 30th anniversary this year and Ward says the event’s status in the industry is both a blessing and a curse.
“It’s sad that at this point in time, we’re 30 years in and we’re still really the only organization nationally that’s giving attention to C&D,” she says. “It’s a blessing because, clearly, we’re doing a good job. We’re honored and blessed to still have a great following and great support from our members and sponsors. But 30 years is a long time, and we realize we’re not going to continue if we keep doing what we’ve done for 30 years.”
Part of Ward’s focus going into this year’s event – which took place Jan. 31 to Feb. 2 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort in Bonita Springs, Florida – was continuing to maximize the benefit C&D World provides.
“We understand that end markets are a challenge for us,” Ward says. “If we don’t bring in the concepts of circularity, greenhouse gas reduction and all the things that we provide as a benefit to the entire industry, we’re not going to grow.”
Event offerings
Part of that growth revolves around providing fresh, valuable content to attendees and exhibitors. There were a plethora of presentations throughout the latter two days of the show.
Kicking off the second day was an opening keynote delivered by Bill Adams, chief economist at Comerica Bank. An operations panel and a session looking at the real-world issues surrounding fire risks followed later in the day.
One of the highlights of the second day was a technology forum in which several companies were represented. Participants included employees from Eagle Crusher, General Kinematics, McLanahan, Sparta, Terex Washing Systems, Vermeer and others.
The third and final day included an executives panel in which industry leaders shared insights. A panel on circularity and C&D and a recycling plant case study were also featured.
The event wrapped up with a tour of Southwest Waste in Fort Myers, Florida.
Providing a variety of topics was crucial in planning this year’s event, Ward says.
“Sometimes as an association, you get in a ‘rinse and repeat’ mode and you ask the same presenters or board members to come,” she says. “We looked at it differently this year because we need the new blood. We need the people that have either left or, through consolidation, aren’t in C&D anymore. They’re large, vertically-integrated waste management companies and C&D may only be one part of it.”
Strong turnout
CDRA’s offerings drew more than 400 people to C&D World alongside 40 exhibitors.
“The vast majority of [attendees] are recyclers, processors, haulers and people our exhibitors want to talk to,” Ward says. “That mix is really good. We have really high-quality attendees, people that are here wanting to learn and need solutions.”
This year marked the first time at C&D World for some exhibitors and attendees.
One of those first timers was Mitchell Howard, a C&D recycling foreman for Luck Stone in Atlanta. As someone who has been in waste management and recycling for nearly eight years, Howard was excited to see this facet of the industry get highlighted.
“This is very eye-opening to me,” he says. “I never knew this was happening. It proves to me that there is money in this industry. People think there is no money in trash, but this convention wouldn’t be here if there was no money in trash. Everybody coming together [for this show] is a great thing to see.”
Similarly, McLanahan attended the show for the first time this year. As the company looks to get move involved in the C&D realm in North America, C&D World was the first of several stops the company plans to make this year at similar shows.
“C&D waste, traditionally, has been a dry process – whether it’s crushing, screening or picking stations,” says Neil Mullan, director of sales for C&D recycling at McLanahan. “I don’t think it’s as widely known the value you can achieve with washing the C&D waste. You can make concrete sands out of it, which can go into structural concrete, as long as the materials are of a good enough quality going in. So, there’s a great opportunity for producers to add an alternative revenue.”
Mullan, a native of Ireland, points out the emphasis on C&D recycling in Europe and Canada, noting that more states nationwide are beginning to prioritize it.
“There are pockets of North America where it really is needed now, where there is a depletion in virgin resources,” Mullan says. “Virgin resources are a finite resource. As time goes on, there is going to be more need for recycling.”