Site waste management plans should be a legal requirement for all construction projects over £250,000 says industry body Constructing Excellence as only legislation will cause the radical step-change needed
to meet targets in the forthcoming Sustainable Construction Strategy and National Waste Strategy.

The body’s response to DEFRA’s April consultation on implementing the SWMP requirements in the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 says the plans should only be voluntary on the smallest projects. Legislation would have the quickest and greatest impact and large-scale training and information programmes would be needed. SMEs could be targeted through collaboration with builders’ merchants and trade federations and promotion of SWMPs must include tradespeople and sub-contractors as well as contractors. But Constructing Excellence says there is no point in introducing SWMPs without adequate enforcement and monitoring and benchmarking will be needed.

It says the 13% of materials delivered to construction sites which end up as waste could be reduced if SWMPs are considered at the beginning of projects but there is currently little incentive to reuse materials left at the end of projects. Some builders’ merchants, however, are looking at take-back schemes which will only succeed if contractors understand the real costs they are incurring and the schemes are available across the country.
 http://www.constructingexcellence.org.uk/pdf/constructing_excellence_response_to_swmp_consultation_2.pdf