The aspect of waste management in construction!

[Eco Sheets]

Zero waste future is one of the important goals for any country. Some millions of tonnes of solid waste are generated every year. This solid waste is being dumped indiscriminately in unregulated dumps or they’re burnt openly. This shows a serious impact on the health of the people living in those areas and the environment. Waste management is said as one of the key aspects one needs to focus on.

In the construction field, a lot of waste materials will be generated like a mineral waste, timber, wood, plastic, paints, varnishes, and many more. Strategies for waste management have to be developed and should be put into practice.

The three R’s i.e. Reduce, Recycle, Reuse is the most significant strategy that can help in waste management. Here is all about waste management in construction.

1. Reduce waste materials

An individual must try to reduce the usage of waste materials as much as possible. Try replacing the materials that are known to be harmful to the environment.

For example, consider the plastic pallets. Though plastic is never considered as an eco-friendly material, nowadays, the plastic pallets have replaced the wooden pallets in the construction field. The various advantages offered by the plastic pallets include less carbon emissions, a great lifespan, decreased deforestation, prevention of pests and doesn’t require chemical treatment. Also, the plastic pallet price is cheaper and affordable. For all these reasons, plastic pallets are preferred over wood pallets. Thus, by reducing the wood of usage, one can escape from waste produced from wood.

2. Recycle waste materials

Recycling of waste materials offers several advantages like saves natural resources, saves energy, clears up the waste, and is harmless to the environment too. Thus, one has to try to recycle the waste materials present on the construction site. Those substances that take longer time to degrade and to get disposed of shall be recycled and reused.

For example, consider the plastic pallets. We know plastic is a non-degradable material and takes too long to degrade. Thus, such a material has to be recycled and reused. Some plastic materials like plastic pallets are recyclable and sustainable. The use of such materials is recommended.

3. Reuse the waste materials

Most of the materials on the construction site can generally be reused and recycled. For example, steel can be obtained from electric wires, reinforcing, containers, etc. plastics obtained from Polyethylene (PET) and High-density polyethylene (HDPE) can be reused for various other purposes. Likewise, aluminum, concrete, paper, cardboard, paint, topsoil, etc. can all be reused effectively. The plastic boards can also be reused effectively.

By following a proper strategy, one can succeed in waste management. For this, innovative ideas must be used instead of simply following the old traditional methods. The waste management plan should be an important part of any project or construction. Waste reduction practices must be practiced on a regular basis for every project, be it construction or a demolition to achieve the goal of zero waste future.