Case Study Construction waste collection good practice: Gloucester Quays This case study examines how applying good practice, such as segregation at source, produced material streams suitable for direct transfer to reprocessors. The prices realised for material streams were maximised by packaging the material to the reprocessors specifications, resulting in an 80% reduction in waste disposal costs.
Construction waste collection good practice: Gloucester Quays 2 Background Bovis Lend Lease is one of the world s leading project management and construction companies, operating in more than 30 countries worldwide. RABBITT Recycling Limited provides innovative waste solutions to assist clients in improving their waste performance and complying with relevant legislation. The Gloucester Quays project provides one example of where RABBITT was able to apply their resource management philosophy to a major development. Service capability RABBITT (Recycle All Bulbs, Batteries, IT and Telecoms) Recycling was founded in 2004 and originally specialised in the management of waste batteries, bulbs and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). Today RABBITT Recycling manages a diverse range of waste streams for their clients including inert materials, wood and pallets, cardboard, paper, metals, plastics, batteries, bulbs and WEEE. RABBITT Recycling has a diverse range of clients in various sectors including retail, manufacturing and construction. The company has signed WRAP s (Waste & Resources Action Programme) Construction Commitment: Halving Waste to Landfill, a voluntary agreement that provides a framework for waste reduction. RABBITT s philosophy requires that all waste is thought of as redundant assets with a residual value. The company offers its clients a one-stop-shop, utilising links with material reprocessor and waste handling companies to maximise recycling and the recovery of value from redundant assets. RABBITT Recycling apply a charge for managing and brokering a client s waste, based on the value recovered and/or the costs saved by recycling the redundant assets.
Construction waste collection good practice: Gloucester Quays 3 Service provision Project Details Gloucester Quays is a major 200 million, mixed-use retail led development, occupying 25 hectares of largely industrial land and derelict buildings in the centre of Gloucester town centre alongside the historic Gloucester to Sharpness canal. Gloucester Quays is the single largest development scheme ever undertaken in Gloucester and provides over 150,000m 2 of floor space on the 60 acre Brownfield site. Bovis Lend Lease was the main contractor for Phase 1 of the development which brought over 50 shops and restaurants to the City of Gloucester. Fig 1. Gloucester Quays Development under Construction
Construction waste collection good practice: Gloucester Quays 4 Service description The service provided by RABBITT Recycling to Bovis Lend Lease was a comprehensive waste management and recycling service that aimed to minimise disposal to landfill by maximising good practice such as source segregation. RABBITT Recycling became involved in Gloucester Quays Phase 1 at the project development stage and were therefore able to directly influence the approach to waste management. Working with the site team, a programme was designed to cut the cost of waste disposal by up to 80% from the waste budget originally proposed. An important aspect in reducing disposal costs was the provision and installation of a mini baler at the central recycling and waste management area on site. This allowed a number of materials to be packaged to the reprocessors specifications, significantly improving the material prices realised. Fig 2. Mini Baler
Construction waste collection good practice: Gloucester Quays 5 By encouraging the client to view waste as redundant assets, RABBITT Recycling were able to instil a philosophy of segregation at source. All wastes were captured at the point they became waste and were stored in waste stream specific and colour coded containers to minimise contamination. The types of containers used varied according to the quantities, size, bulk and density of the material. Container types included 660 litre wheeled bins, woven pouches/sacks and plastic bags. Bovis Lend Lease s contractors were responsible for ensuring materials flowed from the various areas on site to the central recycling and waste management area. Once in the recycling and waste management area, materials were packaged by Bovis Lend Lease Waste Champions in order to maximise their value. Plastic film, plastic bottles and cardboard were baled ready for collection and resale. All WEEE was segregated and palletised for removal. Materials arising in high quantities such as metals and wood were contained within skips. Fig 3. Segregated Metal Materials
Construction waste collection good practice: Gloucester Quays 6 RABBITT Recycling used a number of different methods to collect the different material streams and maximise value. However, the primary method of collection was through the material reprocessors with transport costs accounted for in the revenue that Bovis Lend Lease received for the material. Collections were arranged by Waste Champions on site who played a very important role monitoring disposal practices as well as organising collections. Waste Champions contact RABBITT Recycling who in turn would contact the relevant reprocessor to arrange for the collection of full containers or packaged materials. Collections were generally made within 24-48 hours. Finally, just as important as the physical segregation of materials was the adoption of a cultural change in how Bovis Lend Lease viewed waste i.e. from waste to redundant asset. It was necessary to instil this change from the boardroom to the construction yard to ensure buy in to the recycling aims and objectives. RABBITT aim to maximise the recovery of value from redundant assets turning a waste cost into a revenue stream and diverting material from landfill Mike Morris, Managing Director, RABBITT
Construction waste collection good practice: Gloucester Quays 7 Service assessment Key Findings Segregation at source contributed to lower contamination levels, improving material output quality and maximising material prices realised; Reprocessors will collect materials direct from site and will pay more for materials which are packaged to their specification. This turns a waste cost into a revenue stream; The installation of a baler on site allowed for some recyclable materials to be packaged to those reprocessors specifications, thereby maximising the resale value; Buy in to the project s recycling aims and objectives by client and contractor was fundamental to the success of the project. Benefits Through a combination of actions including maximising site segregation, monitoring general (non-recyclable) waste deposits and appropriately packaging materials the cost of waste disposal was reduced by almost 80% from original waste disposal budget. In particular, the installation of a baler on site meant packaging materials (plastic, cardboard) became a revenue generator rather than a cost burden to the project. The RABBITT Recycling service provided one point of contact for Bovis Lend Lease s project team but allowed collections to be carried out by specialist reprocessors offering the most beneficial service maximising returns.
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