scope:

Waste costs and someone has to pay. With the increasing cost of raw materials and the rising cost of waste disposal due to ramping up of landfill tax, better management of waste makes sense. Industry and Government are exploring more effective ways of tackling waste with the aim of identifying best practicable environmental options (BPEO) for the reclamation and reuse of building components, as well as the recovery and recycling of materials. The potential benefits of formulating a waste management policy include: savings in disposal and transport costs, revenue from reuse and recycling, reduced purchasing of materials and improved environmental credentials.

Part 1 of this Good Building Guide puts construction and demolition waste into context and briefly outlines the options for better management. 4 pages.

Part 2 of this Good Building Guide gives advice on how to deal with waste during the demolition and construction processes. Planning ahead is essential to maximising reuse and reclamation of structural and non-structural components.

Briefly describes:

1) The various materials that can be recovered from buildings being demolished.

2) Methods of dealing with waste material during the construction process.

Benchmarking audit tools for waste reduction (SMARTStart and SMARTAudit) and sources of information on recycling and reuse of materials are also covered. 8 pages.