Barriers to on and off-site waste management

New Zealand (NZ) has set an ambitious target to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 (excluding methane from agriculture), and Auckland Council has set a goal of zero waste sent to landfills by 2040. With construction and demolition (C&D) waste accounting for about half of all waste sent to landfills, and around 40% of Auckland’s waste, the building sector has a crucial role to play in meeting these goals.

Managing plastic waste on construction sites can be tricky. Throughout our research, we’ve found several factors that influence recycling and reusing construction plastic waste. These insights came from talking to construction workers and managers, running surveys, observing site practices, and seeing how much plastic was actually recycled or reused.

OFF SITE BARRIERS

Some waste management challenges are outside the control of site workers and managers, making them harder to address directly. The main barriers we have identified are the lack of recycling capacity within NZ, lack of transport options for waste (from site to waste/recycling operators), and lack of regulation around creating and implementing waste management plans (Figure 1). These off-site barriers all require support from the government to drive change and facilitate better waste management in NZ.

Figure 1: Barriers to construction waste management, on and off site

ON SITE BARRIERS

We’ve identified two main categories that impact how construction sites manage waste: logistical factors (space and setup) and social/cultural factors (awareness and staff engagement). These factors often overlap, affecting the success of waste management.

LOGISTICAL FACTORS

1. Waste Station Setup

Clear, designated areas for waste sorting make a big difference. Make sure your bins or bags are clearly labelled. Having covers for them also helps to prevent contamination by rain, soil or food. If your site has multiple storeys, consider setting up bags/bins on upper floors to make waste sorting easier for your staff. Contact your local council to request recycling bins for staff drink bottles and plastic containers - this helps to keep these out of your construction plastic bins/bags.

2. Space Limitations

Construction sites often struggle with a lack of space for sorting and storing waste. However, you can keep your waste setups relatively small; a small station is better than no station. Opt for bulk bags for plastic waste, which can be moved around, moved indoors, or removed when not needed. You can aim to target certain waste types when large amounts of that waste are being generated (e.g. polystyrene waste – insulation pods or packaging waste).

Residential Site Set-Up for sustainable waste management. Benton Ltd.

3. Keeping Waste Management Simple

Waste separation on-site is still relatively uncommon, and many staff may not have experience with it. Start by making waste management as simple as possible and focusing on only a few key waste types. This gives time for your team to adapt and become accustomed to waste separation on site before you expand to more/different waste types.

4. Plan Ahead

One of the biggest headaches on construction sites is having piles of waste bags or bins taking up space. To avoid this, plan ahead and make sure you have a waste or recycling operator ready to pick up waste as soon as bins are full. This not only keeps the site tidy but also helps prevent waste contamination and ensures recyclable materials are handled properly.

We have noticed that waste management on site often slips in the final stages of the project. With everyone rushing to finish the project, it’s easy for waste separation to be overlooked. To avoid this, consider assigning an extra waste leader to keep the team on track. You can also make it easier for your staff by setting up bags for clean packaging waste indoors, so they’re always within reach. Keeping waste management a priority right to the end helps avoid cleanup at the end, and ensures more waste is diverted from landfills.

Commercial Site Set-Up for sustainable waste management. Free downloadable signage from www.wastehub.co.nz

SOCIAL FACTORS

1. Awareness and Education

Make sure your site team knows which waste types need to be sorted and, importantly, why it matters. Discuss waste management during toolbox talks to keep new staff in the loop and maintain good waste sorting practices. You can use the free training videos on the Waste Hub to train your team. (www.wastehub.co.nz)

Training session on-site.

2. Management Involvement

Having the site management on board is key to successful on-site waste management. Assign a dedicated waste manager or waste leader, to take charge of overseeing the programme. Their role will be to regularly check the bins, ensure waste is properly sorted, and make sure it gets to the right place once bins or bags are full.

3. Staff Engagement

Simple incentives - like rewards for engaged, or using any revenue generated from recycling materials (e.g. scrap metal) to buy food or drinks for staff - can encourage participation. Regular talks about the waste programme and the site’s processes are also a great way to keep the team engaged and maintain waste sorting practices.

If you have any questions for the team that you would like answered in this column, please contact us.