600M tons of construction waste per year, most liner-damaging debris untracked

The U.S. generated 600 million tons of construction and demolition (C&D) waste in 2018 -- more than twice all municipal solid waste combined -- and nearly 145 million tons went to landfills. The specific problem is that C&D waste contains sharp, heavy, and irregularly shaped materials (concrete chunks, rebar, broken glass, metal framing) that puncture and tear the HDPE geomembrane liners that are the sole barrier between landfill contents and groundwater. Unlike municipal waste, C&D debris cannot be compacted uniformly, creating point-load stresses that accelerate liner failure. Meanwhile, C&D waste also carries hidden chemical contamination: microplastics, PFAS, titanium dioxide, dyes, and toxins from paints, adhesives, grouts, and coatings that were never designed to be landfilled. Over 75% of wood, drywall, asphalt shingles, bricks, and clay tiles from construction ends up in landfills rather than being recycled, because manual sorting is required to ensure material quality and the economics do not pencil out. The problem persists because C&D landfills face lighter regulatory oversight than municipal solid waste landfills in most states -- many do not require composite liners or leachate collection -- creating a regulatory blind spot for a waste stream that is both physically destructive and chemically hazardous.