Changing the minds of Wisconsin contractors

Jenna Kunde Photos submitted by WasteCap Wisconsin

Jenna Kunde wants to help the construction industry, but, unfortunately, many contractors initially resist any assistance she offers.

Kunde is executive director of WasteCap Wisconsin, a nonprofit that provides waste reduction and recycling education to businesses.

She said many contractors hesitate to implement recycling processes because they fear there could be additional costs and time attached to them.

Kunde said she changes even the most stubborn minds, though, by showing contractors they can have a positive impact on the environment in a cost-saving way that has a minimal impact on construction schedules.

As an example of the program’s ability to change perceptions, Kunde points to an instance where the owner of a power plant project in Madison initiated WasteCap Wisconsin’s services.

“We came to the site with our new hard hats on, and the site superintendent came to the other side of the fence and asked who we were and what we were doing on his site,” Kunde said. “[But] by the end of the project, he was really convinced. It’s not something he would’ve chosen to do on his site, but it worked. He liked it, the owners liked it, there was a cost savings, and it didn’t add extra time.”

Thanks to the efforts and the persistence of Kunde, Wisconsin has become a leader in construction and demolition recycling.

Kunde said one-third of the trash in landfills is construction and demolition debris, so there’s potential to significantly reduce landfill waste, she said.

But training programs are few and far between.

The demand for training is one reason WasteCap Wisconsin extended its reach beyond the state’s borders, including training sessions this year in Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri.

Jenna Kunde, executive director of WasteCap Wisconsin, leads a class on construction and demolition recycling. Photos submitted by WasteCap Wisconsin

“We have accredited professionals and trainees in 13 states now,” Kunde said.

“There’s definitely national interest in the training program. Clearly, it’s a need.”

Kunde, 38, started her involvement in recycling programs in college.

“I helped set up a recycling program for Carroll College, and I got hooked,” Kunde said. “I’ve been in it ever since.”

Kunde said education is the key to convincing more contractors and builders to recycle materials.

WasteCap Wisconsin hosts training and accreditation seminars throughout the year.

“It’s cheaper to send a dumpster to the recycling center than the landfill,” Kunde said. “We help contractors, owners and others learn how to set up a successful program, educate workers, negotiate site logistics and document the results.”

Miron Construction Co. Inc., Neenah, implemented the WasteCap Wisconsin recycling methods for demolition and construction of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business and Economics.

“I was skeptical at first,” said Tim Andrew, project manager at Miron and a WasteCap Wisconsin accredited professional. “It’s a lot easier than I thought it’d be.”

— Melissa Rigney Baxter