Circular economy specialist, Reconomy has launched a new framework intended to help the government to restructure waste management in the construction industry.
The framework, which was created in collaboration with sustainability consultancy Sancroft, focuses on integrating circular economy principles to construction and demolition waste; unlocking economic growth in the process, and helping to tackle climate change.
Non-hazardous construction and demolition (C&D) waste is a vast and difficult to manage resource stream, Reconomy explains. It covers a huge range of materials such as concrete, bricks, wood, glass, metals and plastic. It includes all waste produced by the construction and demolition of buildings and infrastructure, as well as road planning and maintenance and waste from improvement, repair or alteration.
Jamie Roberts, Reconomy’s divisional director for construction, housebuilding and infrastructure, said: “We are delighted to launch this framework to promote the circular economy and build a more sustainable future. To meet our climate objectives, protect finite resources and grow the economy, it is crucial this new government takes steps to help businesses and communities improve resource management.
“The joint Reconomy and Sancroft project team has produced an actionable strategy of structured and consistent reforms for the construction sector. By following this we can simplify the waste system and generate much needed investment in the system to move resources up the waste hierarchy.
“We are increasingly seeing innovative models allow construction companies to overcome traditional issues within the sector, such as fragmented ownership of construction projects and long lifespan of infrastructure. Following our guiding principles, could create further opportunities to retain the value of resources given the vast quantity of C&D materials used.”
As part of its consultation process for the report, Reconomy engaged waste experts as well as public and private sector organisations. The resulting framework is said to create a consistent regulatory market within which the construction sector can operate and mitigate the negative environmental impacts of waste. It consists of business-friendly principles to simplify the waste system and recommends:
- Creating national minimum standards to hold all waste providers to a new, higher sustainability standard
- Developing nationally consistent and separate waste collection across the country
- Establishing a baseline data of waste figures to enable continuous monitoring
- Implementing Extended Producer Responsibility schemes to shift the burden of waste management onto producers
- Introducing eco-design standards including mandatory returnable packaging
- Ringfencing EPR funding to provide investment and subsidies to stimulate demand
- Digitising information to track resources digitally in real-time
- Creating an independent governing body to enact change
According to Reconomy, adopting this framework will not only have a material impact on emissions reduction and align with national efforts to keep global warming temperatures below 2C, but will also unlock significant economic benefits. It is estimated that the full benefits of a circular economy could increase the value of the UK economy by £82bn (GVA), and create up to 284,000 jobs in London alone by 2030.
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