In the construction industry, millions of tons of waste are produced. If your company handles big construction projects, you’ll need a waste management plan in place. Otherwise, all that waste will end up in a landfill. You can, of course, hire the best Solano County garbage service to get rid of all this waste. More on that later!
Luckily, the right construction strategies will not only help you minimize pollution but also cut down your company consumption through efficient environmentally friendly practices.
In this guide, we’ll give you all sorts of tips to improve your construction and demolition waste management plan.
Plan Ahead
The first and foremost thing to do is to have a solid plan in place. The company managers and supervisors are responsible to come up with a plan before beginning. Thorough planning will not only minimize the risks and number of mistakes made but also reduce the materials being wasted on the project sites. The plan should cover all the aspects of waste management including accounting for potential waste, provision of bins, bags on the job site, identifying waste and recyclable materials, and most importantly, educating the employees and workers on-site on sorting out the waste produced.
Deconstruct instead of Demolish
Deconstruction is a safer alternative to demolition, not just for the environment, but also for the local population residing nearby. Basically, deconstruction consists of disassembling a building piece by piece, selectively preserving the materials, so that they can be reused and recycled into more valuable items. This not only helps efficient waste management but also reduces the cost.
On the other hand, demolition is a rougher process that uses the method of deconstruction, however, the main difference is that it removes all the valuable recyclable materials in the process. The main focus of this process is to simply speed up the material disposal and for it to be as efficient as possible.
Recycle and Reuse
There are plenty of local recyclers out there that will accept recyclable waste from your construction site. However, it is important to know what sorts of waste materials they accept. Consider reaching out to the ones that are open to mixed debris because then you wouldn’t have to waste your time sifting through the debris.
In addition to that, another benefit is that in most cases the recycling rates are much lower than the landfills, so, the more you cycle the less waste you will be left behind with. When on a construction site, thoroughly look for materials that can be reused and I’m sure you will find plenty. For example, doors and windows in good condition can be re-installed in another one of your projects or might substitute for new products.
Reduce
Research shows that around 12% of a construction company was derived from cardboard. Which, more or less, is a non-essential packaging material at times. Therefore, you can contact your provider and instruct them not to use excess non-essential packaging while delivering your products and you’ll be surprised by the difference you’re going to make. Practices to reduce packaging also include:
● Purchasing materials in bulk and avoiding individual packaging
● Strictly using reusable containers and packaging materials
● Donate or give away non-reusable containers or items to charity organizations
Donate
Most of the waste from the construction site goes straight into a landfill. But before you toss all of it down in there, check for any of the material you can donate, especially if you’re not willing to recycle or reuse them. You could donate the appliances, household items, hardware, etc. to a charity organization that accepts those forms of donations. Additionally, you can also leverage the positive public relation that this may bring to your firm.
Organize your Construction Site
Cannot stress the importance of organization inefficient waste management. A well-organized site is particularly crucial to reduce mistakes. Clearly labeling and separating the recyclables minimizes the confusion and maximizes productivity on the job site. Time is equal to money. So the more efficient your team is going to work, the more money you’re going to make. And your waste management strategy should make sure of that.
In short, the less you throw away, the more materials you’re going to be left with. And the less you’re going to have to pay to get that dumped away. Even if you opt for donation, you can still claim your tax benefits. So, reducing and managing waste efficiently requires a plan, and implementation of new, healthier habits that can lead to an eco-friendlier site. The stuff that cannot be donated must be dealt with carefully as well. You can hire a reliable junk removal company, such as 3 Kings Hauling for this purpose.