Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to clean up a construction site?

It generally takes 90 days (13-week cycle) to construct a home from groundbreaking through carpeting. CSS works with you to create a convenient cleanup schedule. Click here to view a sample schedule.

What can I do with the products from my ground up waste?

Useful products—such as mulch, aggregate, and gypsum—are created from your construction waste. Please see products for more information on their many uses.

Bruce and Michelle staff an information table at the University of Montana

How much landfill space will I conserve?

The construction of a 2,000 sq. ft. home will generate approximately four tons of debris.

Won't there be nails or other metal mixed in with the products?

Our grinding machine has a powerful magnet that extracts nails and other metals from the finished products. These metals are taken to the local recyclery and transformed into new products.

Won't the resulting products be toxic to the soil, plants, or other organisms?

No. The main components of drywall are gypsum (a naturally occurring mineral composed of water and calcium sulfate) and paper. In a landfill, excessive moisture and lack of oxygen creates ideal conditions for the formation of hydrogen sulfide gas—which is toxic. Allowing the drywall product to decompose in the open air prevents this dangerous offgassing.

OSB contains small amounts of formaldehyde, but the gas breaks down rapidly in the atmosphere and does not build up in plants or animals.