Welsh construction businesses clean up
February 2009: As a major casualty of the economic slump, construction businesses in Wales are being urged to take positive action to save money through cutting out unnecessary waste. With the Welsh Assembly Government taking Site Waste Management Plans (SWMPs) into consultation in Spring 2009, environmental guidance website, NetRegs.gov.uk, is offering businesses guidance on how to manage site waste effectively ahead of the proposed SWMP legislation.
NetRegs is proposing businesses use SWMPs as ‘good practice’, regardless of whether or not they become a legal requirement in Wales. SWMPs provide a tool to help manage materials and reduce the waste that construction projects produce. At the same time, businesses can check that they are complying with waste legislation such as the Duty of Care. If Welsh construction businesses act now, they could get ahead of competitors and use SWMPs to help them win new business.
Around 1.1m tonnes of construction and demolition waste was sent to landfill in 2007 in Wales[1][1]. Much of this waste could have been re-used or recycled, representing massive missed cost savings for construction businesses. In the same year around 4,000 fly-tipping incidents of construction waste illegally dumped in the countryside were reported by local authorities in Wales.
Save money and win new business
Recent UK-wide research conducted by NetRegs with the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) positively showed that 48 per cent of those that have used SWMPs reported money savings for their business as a result of less wastage and more efficient handling of materials. In addition, 24 per cent stated that using the plans had helped them win new business.
Some businesses differentiate themselves through accreditation schemes, such as the Code for Sustainable Homes in Wales developed by the Building Research Establishment (BRE). From 1 April 2009, this standard can not be reached unless the company being assessed has a SWMP for the project.
Welsh businesses already taking advantage of SWMP process
Miles Thomas, Environment Manager at Castleoak Construction in Cardiff said: "We currently implement SWMPs on all of our projects, regardless of size, as we are aware of the cost savings and resource efficiency that can be achieved. They also provide a useful benchmark for us to establish specific cost savings for each project and to be able to determine which sites produce more of a certain type of waste.
“Creating a SWMP is very straightforward and people should get in the habit of using one, as they may well become legislation in Wales in the future. Clients are becoming more aware of the benefits of utilising environmentally responsible contractors and through implementing SWMPs we can provide evidence that we have the necessary systems in place to help effectively manage the amount of waste we produce."
Paul Jennings, Waste Programme Director at Constructing Excellence in Wales commented: “With SWMPs going into consultation shortly, the NetRegs website will help businesses find out what they need to know. As experience from those already using SWMPs shows, this needn’t be a burden to businesses; instead it can help them to save money and win new business.
“Using SWMPs for all construction projects should be considered good industry practice whatever the size of the project. They offer a great way to ensure that all the right checks and balances are in place, not only to ensure legal compliance when they become law, but to help businesses add revenue to their balance sheets.”
NetRegs offers a free, simple guide to SWMPs, which has already been downloaded by more than 31,000 website visitors. To download, simply click on the ‘Site Waste – It’s Criminal’ logo via www.netregs.gov.uk.
NetRegs.gov.uk also offers a useful resource for businesses in the construction sector in Wales to help them avoid hefty fines by keeping up to date with new laws and guidance. Changes to guidance on gypsum waste mean that as of 1 April 2009 construction businesses will not be able to take gypsum–based waste such as plasterboard as part of a mixed load to landfill. The Environment Agency recommends gypsum waste is separated from other waste at the point of production where possible, or alternatively waste is sent to a licensed waste transfer facility for sorting.
For further information on environmental rules affecting the construction industry, visit http://www.netregs.gov.uk/construction