According to the Natural Stone Council; Natural stone with its durability and flexibility of use is an excellent candidate for deconstruction and re-use. Adaptable to a range of applications, natural stone can almost always be reused and thus need not contribute to landfill waste. Moreover, extending the life cycle of the product reduces its overall environmental impacts, and using reclaimed stone may even contribute to green building programs, such as the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.

The exterior paving stone surrounding a home, is also a highly salvageable material. Reclaimed cobblestone that has been kept from landfills, such as Historic European Cobblestone®, is a product that benefits both the homeowner and environment. If installed using a natural sub-base and joints (which assists in permeability) this will enable the cobblestone to be 100% recyclable again in the future.

According to a study issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, by the year 2030, approximately one fourth of the buildings that existed in 2000 will be replaced. The number of buildings that will be demolished and the waste produced will  be extensive; however, if these buildings are deconstructed and the components sold for reuse, most of this waste – up to 90% – can be diverted from the waste stream, and new buildings can consume less money during construction.  Most materials in home and exterior are salvageable, including natural stone.