Method and apparatus for containing and removing construction debris

Abstract

A method and apparatus for containing and removing construction debris at a construction site. The apparatus comprises a base having low side walls and side boards mated therewith to form a construction debris container. The base is preferably molded plastic having collapsible side board stabilizers molded therein. The side boards are preferably conventional sheets of plywood. In the preferred embodiment, the base is delivered to a construction site and the side boards are disposed inside the side walls and secured together with a joiner to form a substantially rigid construction debris container. Once the container is filled with construction debris, the debris is removed from the container using relatively lightweight equipment such as a grapple. The construction debris container is then disassembled and removed from the construction site.

1 . A construction debris container comprising:
 a) a base comprising a bottom;   b) one or more removable side boards that cooperates with the base to contain construction debris.   
   
   
       2 . The construction debris container of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a) at least one joiner for connecting a first and second sideboard to each other.   
   
   
       3 . The construction debris container of  claim 1  wherein the base further comprises at least one sidewall. 
   
   
       4 . The construction debris container of  claim 3  wherein the sidewall is collapsible. 
   
   
       5 . The construction debris container of  claim 1  wherein the base further comprises a side board stabilizer. 
   
   
       6 . The construction debris container of  claim 5  wherein the side board stabilizer is a ridge projecting from the base to form a trough between the sidewall and the ridge to hold a sideboard substantially perpendicular to the base. 
   
   
       7 . The construction debris container of  claim 5  wherein the side board stabilizer is one or more pegs that projects from the base to hold a sideboard substantially perpendicular to the base. 
   
   
       8 . The construction debris container of  claim 2  wherein the joiner is a corner cap. 
   
   
       9 . The construction debris container of  claim 2  wherein the joiner is an L-shaped bracket. 
   
   
       10 . The construction debris container of  claim 1  wherein the base is substantially watertight. 
   
   
       11 . The construction debris container of  claim 1  wherein the base allows water to drain therefrom. 
   
   
       12 . The construction debris container of  claim 1  wherein the base is molded plastic. 
   
   
       13 . The construction debris container of  claim 1  wherein the side boards are plywood. 
   
   
       14 . A method for containing and removing construction debris from inside a prohibited heavy equipment travel area comprising:
 a) delivering a base to a first construction site;   b) assembling a container by mating one or more sideboards to the base;   c) depositing the construction debris into the container; and   d) removing the construction debris from the container using a debris removal vehicle.   
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the debris removal vehicle is equipped with a grapple. 
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the debris removal vehicle is a dump truck equipped with a grapple. 
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the debris removal vehicle comprises a front loader that cooperates with a dump truck. 
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 14  wherein the base comprises a sideboard stabilizer. 
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein assembling the container further comprises attaching a first sideboard to a second sideboard with a joiner. 
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 14  further comprising delivering the base to a second construction site.