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diversion rates. Facilities whose recycling rates are not third-party-verified can only claim a maximum diversion rate of 35%.

CERTIFIED RECYCLING FACILITIES

Projects must utilize a recycling facility that processes and recycles commingled (mixed) construction and demolition waste materials that have received independent third-party certification of their recycling rates. Qualified third-party organizations who certify facility average recycling rates include these MPRs:

• The certification organization follows guidelines for environmental claims and third-party oversight, including ISO/IEC 17065 [103] and relevant portions of the ISO 14000 [104] family of standards.

• The certification organization is an independent third party who continuously monitors “certified” facilities to ensure that they are operating legally and meeting the MPRs for facility certification and recycling rates.

• Certification organizations shall certify to a protocol that was developed on a consensus basis for recycling facility diversion rates that is not in a draft or pilot program.

• The methodology for calculating facility recycling rates must be:

o Developed with construction and demolition recycling industry stakeholders and be

specific to the construction and demolition recycling industry.

o Must include a methodology that is applicable across broad regions (i.e. nationally).

o A published and publicly available standard.

• Data submitted by the facilities to the certification organization in support of the recycling rate is audited. The audit includes, at a minimum:

o The evaluation of recyclable sales records

o Verification of facility sales into commodity markets

o An assessment of downstream materials and how these materials are managed after

they leave the site

o Monitoring off-site movement of materials, AND

o A review of the facility’s customers’ weight tags information

• Facilities submit data to the certification organization that supports the recycling rate, such as a mass balance recycling rate (tons in/tons out) for a 12-month period, OR quarterly sorts completed and verified by an independent third-party entity.

  • Breakdown of materials (by type and by weight), including analysis of supporting data relating to amounts (in tons) and types of materials received and processed at the facility.

103 “ISO/IEC 17065, Edition 1”, International Organization for Standardization, (2012), accessed March 31, 2025, https://www.iso.org/standard/46568.html. 104 “ISO 14000 family”, International Organization for Standardization, accessed March 31, 2025, https://www.iso.org/standards/popular/iso-14000-family.

U.S. Green Building Council LEED v5 Reference Guide for Interior Design and Construction, April 2025 Launch Edition 284