Asbestos is the most popular type of hazardous construction waste material. A survey of the building that is up for renovation or demolition should always be performed prior to the activity. That way, materials containing asbestos can be identified. A plan can then be created to determine how to handle asbestos.
Lead paint can also be a problem, especially for buildings constructed before 1980. Exterior structures, including painted handrails, may contain lead paint, which should then be characterised to figure out their hazard level.
Other dangerous waste materials include PCB caulking, lamp ballasts, fluorescent light bulbs, high-intensity discharge bulbs, mercury-containing switches, and batteries.