How to reduce waste on a construction site

How to reduce waste on a construction site

When working on a construction site there are a few things you can do to reduce the amount of waste you will produce and ultimately save you money. Here are some tips to help you dispose of all your waste responsibly!

Before a job even begins, you should have an idea of what type of waste you will have and how much. Planning is important to ensure you can dispose of the waste quickly and safely. Here are some things to think about:

• Identify which materials can be reused or recycled. Recyclable materials include but are not limited to

1.             Metal
2.             Cardboard / Paper
3.             Wood
4.             Concrete
5.             Aggregates (gravel etc.)
6.             Dry wall
7.             Asphalt
8.             Glass
9.             Carpeting

• Measure everything beforehand and try not to over order on materials that will then be unneeded. It is also a good idea to ask the supplier beforehand if they will buy back any unused materials.
• Estimate how much waste will be generated and find various quotes beforehand on ways to dispose of it.  For example if you are disposing of soil you may want to get quotes for skip hire, grab hire and look into ways you may be able to reuse it yourself.
• Find out where your nearby recycling centres are. Taking materials yourself is often cheaper than skip hire etc.

We know it’s impossible to plan how exactly what types and how much waste you will have on a construction site. There are a few things you can do to reduce waste on the job.

• One of the most important things to do on site is to sort the waste types. Separate the recyclables into groups that can then be easily removed and recycled. Any materials that have to be sent to landfill should be kept separate and any hazardous materials must be disposed of responsibly.
• Instead of just throwing unused materials away, try and salvage what can be used on other projects. Just because it is not needed at the time doesn’t mean that it won’t come in handy another day!
• Limit the use of adhesives, treatments, laminates etc. as these can affect the recyclability of the material and make it more expensive to dispose of.

It is important to plan, organise and stay vigilant to how you are reusing and disposing of your waste.

Remember that skips are an environmentally friendly way of disposing of your waste as all of the materials are separated as recycled or disposed of responsibly. If you would like a quote on skip hire for your site or property visit FindaSkip for cheap skip hire or call us on 0800 019 4530.