A new report from the Waste and Resources Action programme shows that waste in the construction industry has fallen by 28% between 2008 and 2009 among companies monitored. Happily, this means the industry is well on the way to achieving the goal of halving construction, demolition and excavation waste from projects by 2012.
This equals a decrease from 3.1 million tonnes in 2008 to 2.2 million tonnes in 2009 among the companies monitored.
“Today’s Halving Waste to Landfill figures are just the beginning and give me confidence that industry is working hard and well on track to deliver the target by 2012,” Stated WRAP chief executive Dr Liz Goodwin.
The construction industry is responsible for 120 million tonnes of construction, demolition and excavation waste every year – around one third of all waste in the UK. Almost 20 million tonnes of this waste ends up in landfill without any form of recovery or reuse.
Research also shows that construction companies generally, large and small, are producing less waste during projects. This is attributed to a greater awareness of the green issue, and direct attempts by companies to reduce their impact on the environment.
WRAP work in tandem with the government’s Strategy for Sustainable Construction (http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/business-sectors/construction/sustainable-construction).
Source: Waste and Resources Action Programme