As a UK leading site equipment provider, Garic firmly believes in the need to support sustainability in the construction industry and in this article it looks at how the barriers to achieving this can be overcome.
At Garic, we understand the importance of sustainable construction, and we have long championed a more environmentally friendly approach. But what does this mean within the construction industry overall? It is not as simple as merely providing environmentally friendly products which reduce the CO2 emission, such as those that can be found in our Eco product range, more must be done to reduce waste on job sites up and down the country too.
At Garic we like to lead by example, read more about Our Route to Carbon Zero. How are we getting there?
Construction Waste Management
In the UK, we should be proud of our construction waste management processes, while it is true that we do produce large quantities of waste in the construction industry, our reuse and recycling processes are up there with some of the best in the world.
In 2018, between demolition and construction businesses, according to the UK Statistics on Waste, a mammoth 67.8m tonnes of non-hazardous waste was generated. While this figure does seem high, we should be pleased as a nation with our recovery rate, which stands at 62.6m tonnes, or 92.3%.
There is still room for improvement, however, as our resources as a planet are not infinite, and many of our natural resources are already massively depleted. For this reason, at Garic, as a leading site equipment provider, we believe that we should be aiming for a 100% recovery rate. We might not get there yet, but if you aim for the stars you might just reach the moon!
How to Reduce your Construction Waste
Wherever possible, you should always aim to work with materials that are reusable and recyclable, as this ensures that any waste materials you produce will be much easier to deal with at the end of your project and aids sustainable construction.
It is also worth bearing in mind that in 2011, Waste Regulations came into effect across England and Wales. These regulations require businesses to follow the waste management hierarchy when dealing with waste.
What is the waste management hierarchy?
- Reduce. This means that you should carefully plan what you are going to buy, consider what you will need for the entire project, and try to avoid buying unsuitable materials and wherever possible purchase the right quantities to avoid excess materials being left at the end. For example, in order to minimise offcuts, buy items such as pipes or timber in roughly the sizes that you need.
- Reuse. If you are left with any excess materials, you should think ahead to your next project and consider whether or not they might be of use in the future. And failing that you could even try to exchange materials with other construction sites or even take them back to the supplier.
- Recycle. Any items that cannot be reused should be recycled wherever possible. Virtually all waste produced on construction sites can be recycled, but to make this easier try to avoid having all of your waste in one pile, segregate it into types, such as glass, concrete, wood etc. This makes it easier for the collectors to remove and process your waste.
- Dispose. Finally, if you have exhausted all other alternatives, you can dispose of your waste. But make sure that this is done correctly. The easiest and most convenient way to do this is to hire a skip from a licensed waste removal company. But bear in mind that you will be required to produce waste transfer notes as well as a classification description of any items that you are disposing of.
The best way to do this is to carry out a site waste management audit, which should allow you to gain a better understanding of what processes are likely to create the most waste, as well as what waste is created and how.
Consider which materials are most likely to be leftover and become waste. Understand the various stages of your project as this will allow you to understand the types of waste that each stage of the process will create. And finally, think about how you can prevent these materials from becoming waste.
Benefits of Proper Waste Management
Proper waste management does far more than aid sustainable construction, there are a whole host of other benefits that you should consider too. Sustainability is the new trigger word for many people around the world, and it doesn’t matter if it’s plastic bags, food production, transport, or in this case, construction. We are living in a world that is increasingly aware of the need for sustainability, so opting for proper waste management and advertising this fact can and will only serve to improve your company’s reputation. Take it from us, as a site equipment provider, we can see the increase in demand for our Eco products.
We believe in sustainable construction, as we do everything in our power to offer our customers environmentally friendly welfare solutions. Take our new Combi Cabin Eco 1.5, which will reduce your carbon footprint not only as it runs on a hybrid generator, but it is actually fashioned out of an older unit, fully refurbished, and with minimal waste created!
Effective waste management should also be a key point of your corporate social responsibility. Conserving our planet’s natural resources should be on every organisation’s agenda. Additionally, if your workers adopt these practices when at work, then they are far more likely to adopt similar practices wherever possible in their home life.
And we have already mentioned the 2011 Waste Regulations for England and Wales, proper waste management will prevent you from falling foul of these regulations. And finally, we saved the best for last, you’ll reduce costs! By only buying what you need, the chances are that you’ll end up saving a fair few quid!
As a welfare facility and site equipment provider, at Garic, we urge you to adopt sustainable construction practices wherever possible. From choosing welfare facilities that are environmentally friendly, to managing your construction waste.
If you have any questions about our Eco product range, or if you would like to speak to us about anything else, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us. Contact Us Today for Information & Advice | Garic Ltd