land clearing debris, soil, etc

Jen - The short answer is no - hazardous waste, land-clearing debris, soil and landscaping materials do not need to be included in your total. But I see the inconsistency that prompted your question: While the requirements say "Exclude excavated soil, land-clearing debris, and alternative daily cover (ADC," the example on page 591 shows ADC as landfilled. And under Step-by-Step Guidance they specifically say ADC must be included in the C&D total. Yet you are to exclude the other items... (And frankly I think the use of "landscaping materials" seems a little out of place for this credit too.) Before I saw that inconsistency I was going to say that I think they specifically call out ADC as having to be included in your C/D waste because it was allowed to counted as diverted (in LEED 2009 - see Changes From LEED 2009 on page 593). I'll talk to the MR Specialist at Greenbuild in a couple of weeks and ask that they consider looking at this inconsistency in the Guide. I'll post any new info that I find.

As noted above, I posed this question to Kristen Vachon Vogel, Certification Reviewer, at the GBCI Certification Work Zone at Greenbuild in DC. Sorry for my belated post. She confirmed verbally that the language is confusing and that she would discuss it with USGBC. She followed up with this via e-mail: "USGBC does not think a change is necessary, since as currently written, the guidance is qualifying what can count as diversion rather than what has to be included in the credit." While not very helpful on dealing the inconsistency you encountered, at least they are aware of it and we understand their thought process.

Michelle, thanks for sharing what you learned from GBCI!

The April 5, 2016 LEED Addenda Quarterly Update addresses and fixes the inconsistency you pointed out Jen. See http://www.usgbc.org/leedaddenda/100002056 for the complete rating system correction that clarifies that ADC should be included as C&D waste (not diversion). They addressed the corresponding prerequisite also - http://www.usgbc.org/leedaddenda/100002057.

It depends on local regulations and the specific disposal services available in your area. Some land-clearing projects require separate handling for hazardous waste, while debris like trees, brush, and soil may need designated disposal or recycling. Checking with local waste management or environmental agencies can help determine the best approach for proper disposal.