How deconstruction of old buildings can be a climate solution

WBUR | By Peter O'Dowd

Published May 8, 2025 at 9:51 AM MDT

Editor’s note: Due to a scheduling change, this segment did not air on May 8, 2025, as planned.

Construction is one of the world’s dirtiest industries and creates more than 600 million tons of trash in the U.S. every year. Now, some cities are making big changes to the way buildings are demolished. Deconstruction policies require contractors to disassemble a structure piece by piece so the lumber, metal and other materials can be recycled or reused. Supporters say these rules have kept millions of tons of trash out of landfills.

We revisit Peter O’Dowd‘s trip to Boulder, Colorado, a city at the forefront of the deconstruction movement.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.