Introduction
In this dissertation, I will try to explain the issues of waste management in the construction industry as a whole. The research highlights the obvious dangers the construction industry faces from the excess of material waste, construction goes hand in hand with materials. That is you require materials in order to build, but the issue is that not all the materials on site is utilized in the building, some just are not used. This is due to the fact that sometimes there is excess materials, due to over estimating or the remainders from used materials, like off cuts and so on.
The material waste is discussed thoroughly in this dissertation, with the aid of books and the internet simultaneously been utilized. As the dissertation is broken down into segments, I have mentioned the measures of reducing construction waste, in the next segment, I’ve discussed the complex issues that may occur when you try implementing certain measures. From what I have come to realize from the research, is that consequently the material waste on site cuts into the contractors profits, this is due to the fact that there are costs associated with the disposal of waste, and in some cases it could be quite dare. I arrived at this conclusion when I considered the transportation and storage material waste, also the non re-clamation and so on. With this said, I have extensively discussed the severe lack of knowledge and poor site waste management plans in the dissertation. Finally I argued that a good site waste management plan is feasible in the construction industry, also mentioning that to have people on board, incentives could be introduced to encourage the workmen to be more efficient in handling the building materials.
Literature review
In order to really assess the importance of waste management in the construction industry, I have gathered the relevant literature to deal with the issues and also addressing the following questions.
• What is waste management?
• What are the implications of waste management?
• Is it feasible to practice waste management?
• Cost Benefit Analysis.
Over the years numerous researches have been conducted about the waste being disposed, and what are the most efficient ways there to dispose of the waste. Moreover the literature available about this topic on line and books has delved into the topic highlighting the pros and cons. Also no forgetting the views the media has been constantly pumping out there, this cannot be ignored, like it or not the media shapes the way people see things. Nevertheless this literature review focuses on the information gathered from books and online resources, hopefully their researches are accurate and can help me present some facts.
What is waste management?
Waste management simply means the act of eradicating waste as much as possible at every phase of the construction project, minimising waste wherever feasible and basically implementing the 3R’s reduction, reusing and recycling.
What are the Implications of Waste Management?
After trying to recycle and reuse the waste, there are only two ways to dispose of the remaining waste and that is through the landfill sites or by incineration, and both these methods raise concern about the effects this will have on our environment in the future. In the past, The Health Authority (HA) has issued advice over the potential health hazards that could be as a result of waste incineration (Environment Agency 2002). Since the incinerators are also used as energy generators, the National Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection (NSCA) has issued the results from a study they undertook. This study shows that the health issues that may arise as a result of the incinerators are so minute that it can be overlooked (IEMA 2002). “Dioxins emitted from modern incinerators pose no real health hazards”. Porteous (1998, p201).
Is it Feasible to Practice Waste Management?
Sustainability has become the new phenomenon, recently the government has introduced it through the Brundtland Report Paper ‘Our Common Future’, and it goes on to define the notion of sustainability as ‘development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’ (WCED 1987). Sustainability thus requires that natural resources be efficiently managed and conserved, if possible (White et al. 1995).
The Brundtland Report and the Rio Summit in 1992 was the final push that was required to change the approach to environmental management. The Local Agenda 21 (LA21), drives the implementation at the local level, also with the aid of a sustainability ‘blueprint’ which all local authorities are obliged to produce. This highlights the matters of the environment, community and the local economy, and also form the basis of future plans, as a programme to encourage sustainability (Voisey & Church 1999).
All this said, we can come to common terms that a waste management method that is cost beneficial and also environmentally friendly is vital in achieving a future that is sustainable for all, since waste disposal is now recognised as a central theme for sustainable development (Foxall 2003).
Cost Benefit Analysis
It might come across as expensive and laborious going on the points I have mentioned in the disadvantages, risky at times in terms of employees handling waste in the facilities and to the near by residents. This is also topped up with the government legislations in place making things a bit difficult to carry out. Putting this aside, the benefits from:
• Money saving on Purchases: Using materials, equipment and packaging efficiently ensures that money is not wasted on excess materials.
• Saving on Waste Disposal Costs: Effective waste management drastically reduces the amount of waste produced, the benefit that arises from this is that you will spend less in waste disposal.
• Meeting Environmental Obligations: Having effective policies and procedures in place kind of make it easy for companies to comply the waste regulations.
• Innovating New Ways Of Income: Waste is becoming a lucrative business, some of your waste generated could be sold to recycling companies to generate income.
Not to mention the social impact as it does generate employment, improve peoples’ awareness of the environmental issues related to improper waste disposal. The proper use of the natural resources and the reduction of waste to landfill sites, the encouragement of re using and recycling materials to lessen waste. This is strong enough evidence that there is a lot of benefit in the proper implementation of waste management.
Methodology
After choosing the title, waste management in construction for my essay, I need to gather the necessary information relevant for my research, to be precise, I needed to get a title that would tell the topic of the story and the purpose in writing it. I would focus on the topic and refer to it often in the essay as this will aid me to focus and not deviate from the topic.
Research, this is the first stage about the essay, by doing this I’m making myself an expert on the topic, how I’m going to go about with this research is detailed in the paragraphs below. Analysis, after the research, I will have to analyze the arguments I’m reading from, clearly define the claims, write out the reasons and evidences. Brainstorming, that is by asking myself a lot of questions and answering them. After all the analyzing, researches and brainstorming, I should develop an in depth knowledge of what I am going to write about, in other words, I should be equipped enough to convert all the information gathered into the proposed dissertation.
References
Environment Agency. (2002)
Position Statement
Environment Agency. Bristol.
Porteous, A. (1998)
Energy from Waste: A Wholly Acceptable Waste-management Solution
Applied Energy (58, 4). pp. 177-208
WCED (1987)
Introduction: the waste problem in social perspective. In: Household Waste in dSocial
Perspective: Values, attitudes, situation and behaviour. Barr, S. (2002), p.3.
Ashgate. Aldershot.
White, P.R., Franke, M. & Hindle, P. (1995)
Integrated Solid Waste Management: A Lifecycle Inventory
Blackie Academic & Professional. London.
Voisey H. & Church, C. (1999)
Who’s Listening to You? : Media Coverage of Sustainable Development and Local Agenda 21
CSERGE: Norwich.
Foxall, C. [4th February 2003]
Waste Management 402. Lecture 11. Energy from Waste ñ an overview
University of East Anglia.