S.I. DISMANTLING and Recycling

Wherever in England we are, we are never far from some sort of building operation. The Construction and Demolition industry is, after all, one of the largest manufacturing industries within the United Kingdom. But the need for new houses and refurbishment of existing buildings comes at a cost.

Construction and Demolition operations account for more water and land pollution incidents than any other industry. 50% of the UK’s annual energy consumption is associated with buildings, 10% during construction of buildings and 40% on running them during their working life.

Construction, demolition, refurbishment and material supply processes are responsible for a significant amount of waste (estimates vary; the UK Government has adopted the figure of 70 million tonnes). The major components are soils (often mixed with other materials), concrete, masonry, brickwork, stone, metal (largely steel), glass, plasterboard, bituminous materials such as road plannings and architectural features. Until the advent of the Landfill Tax, around 42 million tonnes of these wastes went to landfill either for final disposal or landfill engineering (considered to be a form of recycling).

In total around 10,746,000 tonnes of waste was produced in Wales alone during 1998-99. Around 30% of this figure, approximately 3,285,000 tonnes, was Construction & Demolition Waste. A large proportion of this (over 1,000,000 tonnes) was sent directly to landfill. There is now worldwide concern that resources must be used more sustainably, so a reduction in the use of virgin raw minerals needs to be accomplished, with greater levels of recycling and re-use within the construction industry.

The demolition industry have an important role to play in maximising the separation of waste materials, if allowed the time to do so; thus creating a supply of uncontaminated resources suitable for reclamation and recycling. This needs to be matched by a demand for these materials. The specifying of recycled and reclaimed materials in tender documents will encourage the recovery of materials, including those where the profits are more marginal. Local authorities can play a key role as clients, advisers and enforcers (e.g.planning, building control).

We at S.I. DISMANTLING Services want to use more Construction & Demolition waste as secondary aggregates and minimising waste from the production of building materials, their packaging, surplus and wastage. Reducing waste can save money, energy and resources and makes good business sense.