855773520-LEED-v5-ID-C-Reference-Guide-Launch-Edition-1 - Page 247
Extracted Content
REQUIREMENTS EXPLAINED
The goal for the prerequisite is to minimize waste generated by building occupants and to implement strategies in reducing, reusing, and recycling waste throughout the building’s life cycle. This includes incorporating design measures that prioritize waste prevention, material reuse, and effective waste management. It also encourages project teams to thoughtfully consider and plan for the access requirements of all individuals who will service and use the building. Additionally, teams should anticipate and accommodate the operational needs necessary for achieving zero waste by enabling effective waste diversion practices. This includes ensuring proper sorting, storage, and access solutions to facilitate recycling, composting, and other waste diversion methods, while prioritizing reuse as a key strategy.
Storage and Collection of Recyclables
Municipal solid waste has become a growing concern as the volume of waste generated in the U.S. continues to increase. [63 ] An obstacle to effective recycling in buildings is the lack of convenient, dedicated physical spaces for collection. Incorporating recycling infrastructure early in the design process encourages successful recycling once operations begin. Well-designed and accessible waste management infrastructure is intuitive - easy to locate, reach, and use for all occupants, regardless of physical ability or mobility, and anticipates how and where waste will be discarded by occupants. Steps should be taken to also address concerns for noise, odor, and vectors.
Recycling includes traditional materials like glass, plastic, and metals. It also includes organic materials such as food scraps, paper products, and landscape materials. Organic materials collected in buildings can be composted on-site or off-site. Composting can occur at multiple scales and locations: small-scale systems might include basic compost piles or bins, while large-scale operations involve centralized, commercial facilities that process organic waste from an entire region.
To meet the prerequisite, teams must provide dedicated area(s) for recyclable items, including organics (compostables), mixed paper, corrugated cardboard, glass, plastics, and metals. Teams should work with the owner and architects to provide sufficient collection and storage space for all required recyclables based on the building size, occupants, and local recycling markets. In many places, recycling of various materials is required by laws or regulations. Project teams are encouraged to check for local requirements and service vendors to ensure maximal waste diversion.
63 “Municipal Solid Waste Factsheet”, University of Michigan Center for Sustainable Systems, (2024), accessed March 31, 2025, https://www.css.umich.edu/publications/factsheets/material-resources/municipal-solid-waste-factsheet.
U.S. Green Building Council LEED v5 Reference Guide for Interior Design and Construction, April 2025 Launch Edition 236