We compost all of the landscape waste generated onsite. Can we include landscape waste in the credit calculations?

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No, landscape waste must be excluded from the MRc7 calculations entirely, regardless of whether it is composted or sent to the landfill.

Are mercury-containing lamps included in the credit calculations?No, mercury-containing lamps must be excluded entirely because they are hazardous waste, therefore 100% must be diverted according to the MRp2 policy. 

The recycling waste generated from the project building is comingled. To achieve MRc7, does the recycling waste need to be tracked by the categories of waste identified in MRc6 (glass, metal, paper, cardboard, etc.)?

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No, the diversion rate can be determined by knowing the total amount of recycling waste that was diverted, including all categories of recycled waste (i.e. glass, metal, paper, cardboard, etc).

How does the a project building track a diversion rate for recycled batteries when tracking recycling batteries is easy, but tracking batteries thrown in the trash is extremely difficult?

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There really is no good way we know of to accurately track the diversion rate of batteries. In general you are expected to maintain a collection of batteries for recycling, and then recycle 100% of those batteries.

The project building has a waste/recycling hauler that picks up containers for the building several times a week. However, at the time of pick up the building management does not know how full the containers are. The waste hauler is not willing to track t

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There are a few possible solutions out there to solve this problem:

The waste management facility we are using is providing us with monthly documentation specific to our waste, showing 80% diversion. They also have a published, facility-wide rate of roughly 20%, and they have no published rate for construction waste. Will

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It is typically better to use project-specific diversion data when you can get it, and this data should typically be accepted in a LEED review. However, there are other options.

The requirements of this credit say that land-clearing debris does not contribute to the percentage of materials diverted from the landfill. What exactly is considered "land clearing debris"?

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According to the LEED Reference Guide, land-clearing debris includes soil, vegetation, and rocks.

Can sending material to waste-to-energy plants count toward MRc2?

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USGBC has ruled (for example, see LEED Interpretation #10061) that diverting waste to incineration facilities does not contribute to MRc2, but that Wood Derived Fuel (WDF) does meet the intent of this credit. As that ruling states, "The WDF process differs from incineration processes that are not allowed in this credit because the recycling facility provides a value-added process; it is a service that exists to sort and distribute materials appropriate to the highest end uses possible.

Should household-type trash from workers' lunches and office use be included in MRc2 diversion and calculations?

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There has been some debate about this, since on the one hand this waste does not qualify as typical C&D waste, but on the other hand it is waste generated onsite, which this credit is intended to address. LEEDuser's experts recommend including this waste because it falls under the broader definition of waste generated onsite, and because reduction, recycling and diversion programs can be extremely effective in reducing the quantity of this waste.

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