Mansfield Launches Deconstruction Pilot 'To Reduce Waste'

MANSFIELD, CT — Two Mansfield residents and their local contractor, Molochnick Builders, became the first contributors to the Mansfield Deconstruction pilot intended to reduce building waste.

The town of Mansfield is partnering with The ReCONNstruction Center, a non-profit building reuse store in New Britain, to salvage building materials from Mansfield construction projects that are in good, usable condition.

Instead of the materials ending up in an out-of-state landfill, they will be offered for sale at The ReCONNstruction Center so they can be "re-purposed." town officials said. The first donation included used and new doors, some still in their original packaging, plus a variety of windows. The program offers multiple benefits to a contractor who takes the time to carefully extract these materials for reuse, town officials said. First, building contractors doing work in Mansfield can donate these perfectly good building materials for free right at the Transfer Station.

"By participating, contractors can reduce their waste disposal costs, receive a tax-deductible receipt, keep good materials out of the landfill and provide discounted goods to others that will be sold at the ReCONNstruction Center. Salvaging usable building materials is one way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and its impact is significant," Mansfield Recycling Coordinator Virginia Walton said. "For this pilot, we want to demonstrate that salvaging building materials is easy to do."

The program was launched in April as part of an initiative promoted by the all-volunteer Town of Mansfield Solid Waste Advisory Committee. All donations must be prearranged. To participate residents can contact Walton at 860-429-3333 or waltonvd@mansfieldct.org.

The town of Mansfield also operates a Swap Shop at the Transfer Station, organized and staffed by community volunteers, to share out usable consumer and household goods.

To minimize waste of edible foods, Mansfield collects and donates all unserved foods from the elementary, middle school and Edwin O. Smith High School to the Covenant Soup Kitchen daily with the help of dedicated volunteers.

Mansfield is also working to launch a "food rescue program" with local restaurants and with residents who are hosting events with catered foods.

The town is Silver Certified by Sustainable CT, and was recently recognized as a Climate Leader. Sustainable CT, a voluntary certification program to recognize thriving and resilient Connecticut municipalities, recently announced that Mansfield has earned the designation as Climate Leader, awarded to municipalities that demonstrate outstanding leadership in addressing climate change through reducing greenhouse gas emissions and implementing climate resilience strategies.

Mansfield is working to submit its application to earn Gold Certification.