Imagine constructing a beautiful building. What do you see when you visit the site?You will see a lot of raw materials and machinery used for construction. Then you will see several workers – engineers, contractors, and laborers bustling about to get things done perfectly. The next time you visit, when the building is finished or nearly done, you can see piles of waste to the side, some covered and some out in the open. Handling this waste is a huge but necessary step that often gets overlooked.
Effective waste management in construction involves handling all the waste produced during the construction process in a way that minimizes its impact on the environment while taking advantage of all the reusable materials in it. Construction waste management can be done properly if you make proper provisions for it right from the planning phase to the completion and clean-up stages.
There are some reasons why construction waste management is so important.
Most of the construction waste materials are harmful to the environment, and managing them well can prevent these materials from polluting the air, water, soil, etc, protecting ecosystems and wildlife.
In construction, many materials can be recycled and reused. Effective waste management can help you segregate them properly with those that need to be disposed of. As a result, you can reduce the need for new resources every time.
You can also recycle some materials used in construction. This along with reusing everything you can can reduce disposal costs and even the cost of obtaining new materials.
Many local, state, and federal laws have been put in place to ensure proper construction waste management. Failure to comply with them is bound to bring you fines and legal issues.
Construction waste is also harmful to workers and nearby communities as it is to the environment. By managing them properly, you can create a safer environment for them all.
If you are wondering what is the most common waste materials used in construction, it usually includes concrete, wood, metals, bricks, and plastics. Anyhow, construction waste is broadly segregated into three types.
Inert Waste: which is usually non-reactive and does not decompose. They are those materials that do not harm the environment including bricks, concrete soil, rocks, asphalt, etc.
Non-hazardous waste: These are those materials that do not immediately cause damage to the environment or human health even if they decompose. A few examples of such general waste include wood, cardboard, glass, plastic, etc.
Hazardous waste: This is the type of waste that you need to pay extra attention to because it has the potential to cause immediate harm to the environment and human health. This type of waste requires special processing and disposal. Hazardous wastes include chemicals, asbestos, lead-based paint, and even soil that has been polluted.
Here is a step-by-step guide you can use to manage waste in your construction site:
You can start by assessing the type and quantity of waste that your project is likely to generate.
Use this data to create a detailed plan on how you will deal with all the different types of waste throughout the project. You should include how to reduce, reuse, and reuse your materials at this stage.
Set up designated areas onsite to collect different types of waste. Label the clearly for everyone to see
Make sure all your workers are trained in waste management practices.
Give them different containers to dispose of different types of waste, especially hazardous materials.
Work with good waste haulers or waste management companies that have a reputation for transporting and disposing of waste properly.
Monitor your waste management practices regularly to make sure your protocols are working efficiently and make adjustments if required.
Take special care when you handle hazardous materials and debris like concrete and asphalt.
Inert Waste: You can reuse or recycle most of the inert waste. For example, you can crush concrete and use it as aggregate for new concrete and road bases.
Non-Hazardous Waste: Just like inert waste, you can generally recycle and reuse non-hazardous waste. For example, you can use the untreated wood for other projects. You can use wood which cannot be reused after chipping them and use it for biomass fuel. You can recycle most metals like the best TMT Steel Bars to make new products. However, you have to be careful in the case of plastics because not all of them can be recycled. Sorting plays an important role in this case.
Hazardous wastes: Now they require special handling to ensure safety. So make sure you hire licensed professionals to dispose of them in designated waste facilities.
