Since the world is moving towards a concern on global warming and eco-friendly waste management, the first industry that comes to mind is the construction industry. Ever thought what are the best practices for improving waste management and disposal on construction sites? Never mind, if not yet! Waste prevention in construction projects is next to impossible. However, it is very much possible to come up with the best solution for construction waste management. And, here you go for the sure-fire ways on how one can improve builders and contractors waste management ad disposal, and overall ensure an eco-friendly construction project.
Builders and contractors waste management and disposal tips
A proper waste management program not only helps organisations in the private, third and public sectors to reduce costs but also reduces the usage of energy, water and raw materials use and manages construction waste efficiently.
Minimize the amount of waste
It is possible to minimize some building-related waste. For example, you can plan ‘Just-in-time’ delivery strategies to reduce waste created by improper storage and weather damage. Also, construction products can be selected on the basis of its being designed and manufactured to be shipped with minimal packaging. Further, builders and contractors can consider the use of recyclable construction materials to minimize waste.
In addition, they can minimise material movements with a proper plan where bulk materials are stored to minimise transportation around the site.
Avoid excess usage
More concrete and more mortar means more waste creation. Hence, builders and contractors should refrain from ordering significantly more concrete and mortar than can be realistically used before setting. Also, damaged materials should be taken care of. Straightaway contractors should reject materials which have been damaged during transit. Also, builders can request supplies return to the supplier for all materials received in a damaged condition. This will prevent heaps and piles of damaged materials at the construction site.
Proper segregation of construction waste
Though it sounds odd it is a fact that proper segregation and storage of construction waste is essential for effective construction waste costs management. The materials which cant be reused are indeed a waste. So segregate the materials in categories like reusable materials, recyclable materials and other waste materials. For this, builders and contractors can introduce a secure on-site waste storage area. This waste storage compartment/department should clearly feature labelled and colour-coded wheelie bins, bulk bags or skip hire for different types of waste. It is advisable to have a dedicated team who just looks after the materials management and exclusively monitor waste production.
Recycling of construction waste
Construction waste poses a great danger to the environment. So its disposal, as well as recycling, matters most. Recycling of construction waste is one way to counter risk to construction wastes. Check the sources of waste generation and identify whether it can be recycled or needs to be disposed of. For example, concrete waste can be crushed and used as recycled aggregate. Similarly, debris and brick waste generated as a result of demolition may be contaminated with mortar and plaster. Multiple types, builders and contractors can recycle ferrous metal. Paper and cardboard waste materials can be easily recycled and reprocessed to produce new paper products.
Most construction materials can be recovered with the right recycling equipment, such as trash compactors, shredders, crushers and balers. And those builders’ waste that cannot be recycled needs to be stored properly in waste management skip bins for its disposal.
Closing thoughts – going green is more than a bonus
If we think practically, it is a no-brainer activity in today’s era to reduce, reuse and recycle construction waste. Builders’ and contractors can definitely tackle this environment-sensitive issue of construction waste management with practical solutions. If you have a predetermined waste management cycle, till that time you can hire builders’ skip on construction sites. A builder’s skip is a container used to holding waste and debris produced by construction activities such as building, demolition, landscaping, and so on. When your builder’s skip gets fully loaded, you can unload it in the back of a lorry and take it away for the waste disposal.
We are sure that taking note of all the given tips will definitely help improve builders and contractors waste management and make construction sites better and more secure for everyone. Always remember that waste management is much more than simply the removal of rubbish from your construction site. It is all about proper scheduling, time management, cost savings and efficiencies.
