Reducing Waste in a Construction Workplace

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Reducing Waste in a Construction Workplace

As the years go on, new research continues to be published that makes the need to recycle and reduce waste more and more fundamental for the sake of our environment and wildlife.

Many companies are starting to make big changes, particularly those in the construction industry, partly due to the UK governments target of Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. We have therefore put together a list of ways that you can reduce waste in the workplace which will not be only be great for the environment but may save you money too.

Recycling in the Office
If you’re not already on this one, it’s the best place to start. Set up a recycling station a communal place within your workplace where your staff can easily access it to make recycling effortless for them. Be sure to have separate bins for each category i.e. plastic, cans (aluminium), paper & card and glass. Also, depending on the waste collection company you use, you may be able to have one for food waste too.

Reuse Paper
A small but effective waste reduction initiative for the office is to reuse scrap paper instead of recycling it straight away. This way, the paper is used twice before it is recycled, and it still ends up being recycled after its second use.

You will also save ££’s on buying note pads as A4 scrap paper can be stapled together to create an ‘eco-friendly note pad’, you could even cut it in half to reduce the size to a regular notepad size for convenience.

Asking staff to reuse paper, may also result in them thinking about other ways they can make better choices both in the office and at home.

Reuse Delivery Boxes & Materials
Keep any delivery boxes you receive that are in good condition and reuse them to distribute your goods. You can also reuse any plastic bubble wrap and paper alternatives to bubble wrap too. Again, not only will this reduce waste and give items a second use, it will save you money too because you won’t need to restock your packaging supplies as often.

Recycling Construction Materials on site
Many building materials that you use on site can be recycled including:

Aluminium
Steel
Timber
Aggregates
Many plastics
Glass
Bricks and blocks
Many floor and wall coverings
Insulation
Packaging

For best results, contact your local waste collection company for details on what they can collect and recycle.

If you are struggling to find a company that recycles certain materials, try contacting reclamation yards as they quiet often take building materials including bricks, roof tiles, paving slabs and much more.

Local schools, pre-schools and community groups are often looking for items such as pallets, wooden cable reels and timber that they can reuse for their projects. They would be grateful for any donations and you can offer these for free from your company’s social media pages, they are sure to get snapped up quickly and you will save on the recycling collection costs.

Tree Planting
We at Able Canopies have been recycling and reusing for many years now and it has become second nature for our staff. In addition to the above, later in 2021, we will be planting trees for every canopy and shelter we install. We are passionate about building a company that supplies and install products that are of the highest quality with long life-spans, provides excellent customer service and is committed to doing our bit in helping the environment.

For more construction and architect industry news read previous copies of our newsletter OCZ: Outside Comfort Zone

Able Canopies Ltd. design, manufacture and install commercial grade canopies, shade sails, awnings and shelters across the UK. We specialise in servicing the education, leisure, healthcare and retail sectors and have extensive experience working with architects and contracting firms on small and large projects.
For more information or to find out how to submit a tender please contact us

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Reducing Waste in a Construction Workplace

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