Our businesses have always been committed to environmental responsibility. It is the reason we focus on materials from eco-friendly sources, and we ensure that our business has a minimal negative impact on the environment.
We are also careful about disposing of the construction and demolition waste our projects produce.
But now, we have taken it a step further and are committed to recycling as much of the construction waste as we possibly can. We have partnered with a company that offers specialized recycling solutions for construction waste.
Environment-Friendly Recycling of Construction Waste
Construction projects, from simple joinery work to complex renovations, tend to produce a significant amount of waste, even if there is minimal demolition work involved.
What makes the situation even more complex is the different material categories. Most construction projects yield a wide variety of waste, predominantly wood, metals, aggregate materials, and plasterboards.
Each material has different recycling methods and protocols that should be followed to create an optimal impact. The whole recycling process can be broken down into three steps:
• Collection
• Transportation & sorting
• Recycling.
Collection
Different containers and storage solutions are needed for different phases of a project. Our recycling partners ensure that we have access to the right containers at any given time.
This ensures that nothing falls through the cracks and nearly all the material is transported for recycling. The capacity, quality and material of the containers, depends upon the amount and type of waste collected from a site.
Transportation & Sorting
The filled containers are picked up on an ad-hoc basis or for more predictable projects on a pre-defined schedule. The waste is then sorted for materials into what can and cannot be recycled. Even with proper recovery and transport, some debris and waste are simply not viable for recycling.
However, there are still ways to put it to good use instead of dumping it in a landfill. A lot of wood and plasterboard waste, for example, can be used as a sustainable fuel source.
Recycling
In a nutshell, the recycling process and aims are different for each substrate/set of materials.
Wood
Wood is bulky and relatively easy to recycle, so putting it in a landfill is probably the worst way to dispose of it. When we send our wood waste for recycling, it is sorted and graded (A, B, or C) based on the wood’s quality, construction, and what it can be recycled into. It is then recycled into sustainable products.
Metals
The metal-based waste from our sites – is usually divided into two categories: metal with and without iron content. The former has both magnetic properties and a tendency to rust. Therefore, it must be recycled with a bit more urgency. Metals without any magnetic properties, like copper from wires, aluminium from light fittings/fixtures, etc, are also recycled.
Aggregate
A lot of people assume that aggregate waste like bricks and concrete is doomed to become part of a landfill. But that is simply not true. Aggregate is not just recyclable; it helps produce a wide variety of useful and even high-quality products from roads & motorways to piling mats and reformed concrete slabs.
Plasterboard
The best thing about plasterboard is that it is almost fully recyclable. Our recycling partners have the largest plasterboard recycling facility in the UK and are well-equipped to deal with the plasterboard waste we send their way.
In Summary
Our commitment to a greener world has driven us to investigate a variety of recycling solutions. As a business, we are focused on making a positive impact on our environment, via the recycling initiatives implemented and outlined here.
To find out more please contact us on 0131 556 9816
