New guidelines have been issued by the Department of the Environment, which are aimed at managing the huge amounts of solid waste that is generated by construction projects in New Jersey.
The aim is to reduce the amount of waste generated from these construction projects and to make sure that any waste produced is more effectively and sustainably managed, through increased re-use and recycling. It should result in significant environmental benefits and potential cost savings on major building projects.
Recycling is a great way to reduce the negative impact on the environment by saving resources, as it also saves money. There is a great potential in some of the construction waste and it can be recycled and then reused.
Construction projects generate the largest amount of solid waste by weight and much of this is currently sent to landfill.
Deputy Rob Duhamel, who is a Committee Member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, said “Better waste management on construction sites will mean less waste going to landfill, less quarrying, less transport of materials, less energy consumption and less risk of fly tipping.”
“In addition to these environmental benefits, however, there are also significant potential cost savings for the construction industry, including lower waste disposal and transport costs and cost savings due to the reduction in the amount of materials wasted and purchased.”
Deputy Duhamel added “The challenge for designers, site engineers, surveyors and those involved in procurement is to accurately assess the use of materials and the potential for their re-use and recycling both on and off site, at all stages during the construction project. The challenge for the principal contractor, sub-contractors and waste contractors is to work together to ensure that SWMPs are properly implemented.”
The Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) aims at achieving three goals. It is designed to improve efficiency and profitability by promoting recycling and reuse of the waste rather than disposing it. Fly tipping will be reduced by keeping an audit of all the waste which is removed from construction sites. These implementations are designed to increase the environmental awareness in the workforce.
The recycling of the waste which would otherwise have been disposed, the project management will save great amounts of money on material and the costs incurred on disposal.
The Island Plan 2011 was approved by the States of Jersey in the month of June 2011 and is the principle document for the planning and use of land in Jersey, after the new issued guidelines, this plan further tightens the waste regulations in New Jersey.
Source: www.gov.je
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