The good news is that more construction waste than ever is being recycled rather than going to landfill. 87% of the construction waste that would potentially go to landfill is being diverted for reuse or recycling.
But, 32% of all landfill waste and 62% of total UK waste is generated by construction activities. The industry still has a long way to travel down the road to sustainability.
The thing to remember is that construction waste represents additional cost in one form or another. With the current cost of building materials and landfill charges, maybe it’s time for a rethink.
Is Construction Waste Really Waste?
Sometimes materials are over-ordered because quantities weren’t calculated precisely enough. Or they are damaged because they weren’t stored carefully. Often, we see what would have been perfectly usable materials simply thrown into a skip. Presumably this is the easiest (but probably not the cheapest) way of dealing with them on site.
Wellington Waste, as a licensed waste carrier, will happily take these materials away and handle them responsibly, recycling as much as possible. But we don’t do it for free.
Plan Your Waste
An effective waste management plan that segregates waste at source not only helps the environment, but it can also save you money.
If the project involves demolition, it also quite likely involves materials that have a value if they’re handled with a bit of care through a deconstruction process. The circular economy for construction materials will inevitably grow – as will the cost of discarding them.
Give It Away Rather Than Dump It
Donating usable but unwanted or surplus materials can help your local community as well as reduce waste management costs. Doors, hardware, unused bricks, timber, plasterboard, insulation, and other materials could be gratefully received by charities or community projects.
This is surely an option worth exploring before throwing perfectly usable materials into a skip where they rapidly become unusable.
If you’d like advice on how to limit your construction waste costs, we’d be happy to help. Email us at: enquiries@wellingtonwaste.co.uk
Or give us a call: 01823 664628
