Recycling and waste

Types of Waste: Construction waste

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The Government's Waste Strategy for England 2007 identifies the good potential to increase resource efficiency in construction and reduce waste. The construction industry is a major source of waste in England, using the highest tonnage of solid material resources in any sector, over 400 million tonnes. The construction, demolition & excavation (CD&E) sector generates more waste in England than any other sector, and is the largest generator of hazardous waste, around 1.7 million tonnes. By comparison, the sector accounts for 9–10% of GDP. Objectives of the waste strategy for the construction sector include:

  • provide the drivers for the sector to improve its economic efficiency by creating less waste from design to demolition
  • treat waste as a resource, re-using and recycling more and asking contractors for greater use of recovered material
  • improve the economics of the re-use and recycling sector by increasing demand and securing investment in the treatment of waste

 

Improving resource efficiency in the construction industry

Sustainable Construction Strategy

The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has been consulting stakeholders on a draft Sustainable Construction Strategy, aiming to help the industry deliver more sustainable construction methods and products. Among the waste-related targets proposed is an objective of halving construction waste to landfill by 2012, leading to zero waste to landfill by 2020. BERR is currently considering responses to the consultation and hopes to publish the final strategy later in Spring 2008.

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Site waste management plans

New Regulations came into force on 6 April 2008 making Site waste management plans (SWMP) compulsory for all construction projects in England costing over £300,000. A SWMP records the amount and type of waste produced on a construction site and how it will be reused, recycled or disposed.  

The Regulations aim to:

  • increase the amount of construction waste that is recovered, re-used and recycled and improve materials resource efficiency
  • prevent illegal waste activity by requiring that waste is disposed of appropriately, in accordance with the waste duty of care provisions

The Regulations will not apply to projects planned before 6 April 2008 as long as the construction work begins before 1 July 2008.

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Plasterboard

Defra supports the development of a voluntary agreement with plasterboard manufacturers to reduce plasterboard waste to landfill from manufacturing operations. WRAP and the Building Research Establishment are working with the remaining elements of the supply chain to agree a sector-level commitment.

Further information
See also

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Page last modified: 23 June 2008
Page published: 31 January 2008

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs