The Sustainability Forum, together with the Waste & Resources Action Programme, have called on the construction industry in the United Kingdom to cut the amount of waste going to landfills by 50 percent by 2012.
The two organizations believe this is a measurable and achievable industry-wide target for reducing material waste in construction. The Forum and WRAP are working jointly on how best to help the industry to achieve this target.
The UK construction industry consumes more than 400 million metric tons of materials each year and generates more than 100 million metric tons of waste. Around 30 million metric tons each year ends up as construction waste going straight to landfill.
Ian Coull, chair of the Sustainability Forum, said: "In order for the industry to improve its sustainability, we must set targets and goals for reducing waste and improving the use of resources. This goal to halve waste by 2012 is an excellent place to start, and it’s now up to the entire industry supply chain to take action, not only for the environment, but also to deliver cost and efficiency savings."
By adopting best practices in waste management and minimization, including the target to halve waste, the Sustainability Forum believes major construction projects like the 2012 Olympics and the Thames Gateway regeneration can act as models for the industry. In the Thames Gateway, for example, waste reduction on planned new housing alone could amount to one million metric tons, representing savings in materials and landfill costs of more than £600 million.
"The UK’s construction industry is going to be under the spotlight over the next few years, with the 2012 Olympics and the continued development of the Thames Gateway," said Jennie Price, WRAP’s CEO. "These are excellent opportunities to show the world what best practice can achieve, and make a substantial difference to reducing the industry’s impact on the environment."
WRAP and bodies such as Envirowise, as well as other work on construction through Defra’s BREW program, are delivering step-by-step guidance and support to all those involved in the construction process to help reduce waste and use materials more efficiently, thereby increasing the sector’s sustainability.