Clean concrete and asphalt from a demolition, driveway tear-out, or excavation job doesn't have to go to a landfill. In Tehama, Butte, and Shasta counties it can go to a concrete and asphalt recycling yard instead, where it gets crushed into base rock, and California's CALGreen code requires most demolition and new-construction projects to divert at least 65 percent of that debris from the landfill anyway. Walberg, Inc. runs a concrete and asphalt recycling yard out of its Corning facility, and knowing what qualifies for recycling versus what still has to go to the dump can change what a full dumpster costs you by a wide margin.
Most property owners and even some general contractors find this out the hard way, mid-project, when a hauler quotes landfill tipping fees for a load that a recycling yard would have taken for free. The rest of this post covers what actually gets recycled, why the state cares, what it costs one way versus the other, and when it's worth crushing material on site instead of hauling it anywhere.
What actually gets recycled at a concrete and asphalt yard
A recycling yard wants clean, separated material. That means:
- Broken concrete, with or without rebar, as long as the rebar can be pulled or sorted out before crushing
- Asphalt and asphalt millings from a mill-and-overlay or a full tear-out
- Brick and block, usually accepted alongside concrete
- Base rock and gravel that's just being reused, not actually broken material
What a yard won't take, or won't take without a fee, is mixed construction and demolition debris: wood framing, drywall, roofing, insulation, wire, trash, and dirt with a lot of organic material in it. If your load is concrete with a scrap of rebar sticking out, that's normal and gets sorted. If it's concrete mixed in with a torn-off roof, that's a landfill load or a debris box that needs sorting first. Keeping loads separated at the demolition stage, rather than throwing everything in one pile and sorting later, is the single biggest thing that keeps a job's disposal costs down.
Why California requires you to recycle it
This isn't optional on most jobs. Under California's CALGreen building code, most new construction, demolition, and many larger alterations are required to divert at least 65 percent of nonhazardous construction and demolition debris away from the landfill, and that requirement is tracked through a waste management plan the contractor or owner has to file and document. CalRecycle's construction and demolition debris program lays out the statewide framework and CalGreen's diversion standards spell out the weight and percentage thresholds, but individual counties and cities can, and often do, layer their own stricter rules on top. Tehama, Butte, and Shasta counties each set their own permit and diversion documentation requirements through their building or public works departments, so the answer to "do I have to recycle this" depends on your jurisdiction as much as the state code. Before you pull a demolition or grading permit, it's worth a call to your local building department to confirm what documentation they want.
Concrete and asphalt are two of the easiest materials to hit that 65 percent number with, because they're heavy, they're recyclable almost everywhere, and a recycling yard will usually give you a weight ticket you can hand to the building department as proof. Skip the recycling yard on a big concrete tear-out and it can be genuinely hard to clear 65 percent diversion on the rest of the job.
What it costs to landfill concrete and asphalt versus recycle it
Pricing moves around by facility and by the season, so treat these as general Northern California ranges, not a quote, and get an actual number for your job at walberginc.com/quote.
| Landfill | Concrete and asphalt recycling yard | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical cost | Tipping fees generally run $82 to $125 per ton for mixed construction debris, and concrete-specific rates at some facilities run higher | Often no charge, or a low flat rate, for clean loads of concrete or asphalt with no contamination |
| What's accepted | Mixed debris, as long as it's not hazardous | Concrete, asphalt, brick, block; no wood, drywall, or trash mixed in |
| Where the material goes | Buried in a landfill cell | Crushed and screened into base rock, sold back into the local market |
| Diversion credit | Counts against your landfill total, not your recycled total | Counts toward your CALGreen 65 percent diversion requirement |
The gap between those two columns is why sorting matters. A ten-yard dumpster of mixed debris that could have been separated into a clean concrete load and a separate trash load almost always costs more, sometimes a lot more, than the two loads would have cost split apart.
When it's worth crushing on site instead of hauling
For a big job (a commercial parking lot, a large slab, a subdivision's worth of old driveways) it can make more sense to bring mobile concrete crushing to the site and turn the debris into usable base rock right there, instead of trucking it anywhere. That saves haul time and gives you material you can use immediately for backfill or a new pad.
For a single residential driveway or a small slab, mobile crushing usually doesn't pencil out. The mobilization cost for a crusher outweighs what you'd save over just hauling a couple of loads to the recycling yard. We'd rather tell a homeowner to haul a small load than set up a crusher that costs more than the material is worth; that's a call worth making before the equipment shows up, not after.
The bottom line
If you're tearing out concrete or asphalt anywhere in Tehama, Butte, or Shasta County, separate it from the rest of your demolition debris before it hits a dumpster. That one decision determines whether it's a free or low-cost drop at a recycling yard or a per-ton landfill fee, and on a demolition big enough to need a CALGreen waste management plan, it's often the difference between hitting 65 percent diversion and missing it. Walberg, Inc. has been running demolition, excavation, and recycling work in Northern California since 1999, and the concrete and asphalt recycling yard at our Corning facility is set up to take clean loads from contractors and property owners alike. If you're not sure whether your project needs a formal waste management plan, or you want a hand sorting out what to haul where, request a free estimate at walberginc.com/quote and we'll walk the job with you before the first load leaves the site.
Common Questions
Can I recycle concrete that still has rebar in it?
Yes, in most cases. Rebar gets pulled or magnet-sorted out during processing, so you don't need to strip it out yourself before hauling. Large amounts of embedded rebar or wire mesh can slow down processing, so it's worth mentioning the amount when you call ahead.
Does California really require 65 percent construction debris diversion?
Yes. Under CALGreen, most new construction, demolition projects, and many major alterations must divert at least 65 percent of nonhazardous construction and demolition debris from landfills, tracked through a waste management plan. Local jurisdictions can set stricter requirements, so check with your county or city building department before the job starts.
What's the difference between a recycling yard and a landfill transfer station?
A landfill or transfer station takes mixed waste and buries or forwards it for disposal. A concrete and asphalt recycling yard only takes specific clean materials, crushes and screens them, and sells the output back into the market as base rock or aggregate. Sending the wrong material to the wrong place either gets your load rejected or costs you a disposal fee you didn't need to pay.
Is asphalt millings the same thing as recycled asphalt?
They're related but not identical. Millings are the ground-up surface material removed during a mill-and-overlay repaving job, while recycled asphalt product is crushed asphalt debris that's been processed at a yard for reuse as base material. Both can often be reused on site or sold, depending on the facility and the condition of the material.
Do I need a waste management plan for a small demolition job?
It depends on your local jurisdiction and the size and scope of the project. Some counties exempt small residential jobs below a certain size, while others require documentation on nearly everything that needs a demolition permit. Your county building department can tell you the threshold that applies to your project.