Waste management, otherwise referred to as waste disposal, refers to how construction wastes or debris are collected, treated, and disposed of following established standards and regulations. It encapsulates different waste materials such as biological, organic, radioactive, and domestic wastes.
The processes involved in construction businesses often lead to waste materials. These wastes are in different forms depending on the nature of the business.
For construction companies, one of the primary waste management goals is to minimize the number of toxic materials registered into the environment during construction and redirect resources that can be recycled back into the manufacturing process.
Poor waste management by construction businesses can cause pollution and loss of materials that could be reused profitably. Hence, construction companies are advised to recognize waste management as a crucial part of their work processes and consult waste solutions agencies, such as Cobra Waste, for product and environmental sustainability.
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Practice Sound Waste Management Tactics Now
Do you run a construction business and seek ways to manage your waste more effectively? This feature will offer some helpful tips for more effective waste management. Continue reading to learn more.
Utilize Adequate Construction Materials
Waste management plans begin from the project planning stages. When planning a construction project, ensure you estimate the proper amount of construction materials you’ll be using rather than acquire excessive materials that constitute waste.
Apart from preventing waste accumulation, utilizing adequate materials will save you cost because you’ll not buy more materials than you need. More so, you should opt for recyclable materials where possible so that you can reuse waste materials rather than having to dispose of them.
Additionally, your company should work with construction materials that come with fewer packaging materials such as plastics, nylons, and cardboard. By doing so, there’ll be less amount of waste produced to deal with.
Deconstruct Debris For Reuse
Not all waste materials become useless when produced. Some materials can be deconstructed and used for other purposes.
As part of your waste management actions, you can deconstruct leftover materials and reuse their components. Materials such as wood frames, architectural moldings, unique electrical and plumbing materials, high-quality bricks can be deconstructed.
Rather than disposing of them as a whole, they can be broken down and their various components can be used for other beneficial purposes.
Identify Materials That Can Be Recycled
You can manage construction equipment and heavy-duty machines properly by correctly identifying the materials that can be recycled and the processes used to recycle them. Concrete, wood, drywall, glasses, metals, and plastics are examples of construction materials that can be recycled.
Wood can be turned into woodchips while glasses and certain metals can be melted and used in making new products. Also, plastic materials such as pipes, plumbing, and others can be recycled and reused to manufacture other plastic derivative materials.
By converting waste materials into reusable formats, the amount of debris to be disposed of from your construction company is significantly reduced. Take help from the EHS consulting service for better understanding.
Place Recycling Bins On Construction Site
Making recycling bins readily available on construction sites is believed to make it easier for workers to properly dispose of waste materials into them. It’s highly recommended to adopt the method in your workplace.
Nonetheless, you must ensure all bins are adequately labeled. Each category of debris should have a separate bin, so they don’t mix with each other. Once you have recycled bins on the construction site, inform your contractors and employees about them so they can be aware of their availability.
Furthermore, you can schedule when waste will be disposed of daily, so waste materials don’t have to pile up on your construction site.
Handle Hazardous Debris Carefully
Hazardous debris is harmful and poisonous construction waste materials. If these materials are not correctly disposed of, they can impart dangerous effects on you and your personnel.
Your business should, therefore, have clear and well-detailed strategies that ensure that hazardous debris is properly handled and disposed of. If you don’t have personnel who can handle hazardous debris, it’s a good idea to outsource them to professional and dependable waste management agencies.
These agencies will help you manage your waste in ways that comply with federal regulations and local laws. You can also make these agencies your waste disposal partners, helping you achieve an easier and more sustainable waste management plan.
Conclusion
The right waste management strategies will help your construction business manage its debris more effectively. With the right waste management plan, your business can maintain the right legal standing, reduce costs, decrease the production of unnecessary landfill wastes, and contribute its quota to keeping a safe and healthy environment.
