There's been much talk of increasing recycling — reprocessing bottles, cans and paper into new products.

But there's another environmentally friendly option that's worth encouraging, especially as Hawai'i's construction industry continues to grow: reuse.

As Advertiser business writer Curtis Lum reported last week, one small local company is taking the lead in a growing nationwide trend.

Rather than demolishing structures, Re-use Hawai'i deconstructs them, carefully dismantling buildings and salvaging lumber and other reusable materials. The salvaged goods are sold for new construction.

The environmental benefits are obvious. There's less waste going into landfills. Various county studies showed that in 1995, construction and demolition material accounted for more than 30 percent of generated waste, or 600,000 tons a year, statewide.

Also, reusing wood products, especially lumber, reduces the need to harvest existing forests.

Is it economically viable? That will depend on how well Re-use Hawai'i and companies like it can build up a robust redistribution market.

But while deconstruction is more labor-intensive, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says that some case studies have shown that the net cost of deconstruction (deconstruction plus disposal minus salvage revenues) can be lower than demolition.

As policymakers discuss the need for sustainability, they should look for good ideas to encourage. Here's one.