As part of its efforts to redeploy already developed, but no longer utilized, land, EPA Region 7 is working with Wichita State University Environmental Finance Center and the environmental nonprofit, Delta Institute, to develop a reuse plan for several acres of leftover concrete slabs and associated concrete foundations at an old factory site in Nebraska.
The site offers direct spur railroad access, which is rare, expensive to develop and desirable in an area with significant agricultural commodity production such as Nebraska. To make the site development-ready, it is best to have relatively level ground available for building. For an industry looking for a site, a site needing demolition prior to construction is unattractive as it adds time and contingencies to a project. By determining potential reuse opportunities for the onsite concrete, the EFC and Delta Institute have empowered local leadership in their efforts to redevelop the site while saving resources and landfill space. The local economy will also benefit, as the existing concrete is likely to be utilized in construction projects and for erosion protection in nearby irrigation canals.
The Environmental Finance Center believes this effort can be readily duplicated throughout areas which have lost industrial facilities. Finding alternatives to landfilling construction materials saves costs in redevelopment efforts while filling a market need for these materials. Local communities benefit from property reuse by decreasing the need to add additional roads and utilities for economic development efforts. These efforts also save land from development, an important factor in a site like this one in Nebraska that may well utilize food and fiber from nearby farms as inputs. We hope that this work will inform future efforts in sustainable materials management.