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How Will Recycling Work?

In a round robin letter, to local residents within the development impact zone, we will invite them to notify us if they require any of our surplus building materials during the five key stages, saving them from being transferred to land fill site.

We will also give residents free advice and guidance on the materials to be used for "own use" on projects such as refurbishments and extensions. 

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Examples of materials available: 

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  • Doors and windows

  • Bricks and blocks

  • Timber 

  • Tiles (ceramic or otherwise)

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The 5 key stages would already be programmed in under the guidance of your on site, site manager when we will arrange to attend site to remove the identified materials and locally distribute. 

Our representatives leading the recycling program is a fully qualified construction site manager who can work with your existing site manager agreeing a way forward identify the 5 key stages where certain material agreed to be disposed of and recycled.

Context of the Organisation in relation to our

Environmental Management System (EMS)

Introduction

 

The Construction Industry that includes Developers, Main Contractors, Sub-Contacts and associated Stakeholders has, over the years, impacted negatively on Environmental considerations and is now proven to be the biggest polluter on the planet. The current state of affairs is multi-facetted in deliberation but is, in the main, a direct result of demands (for both time and resources) being part of a high-pressure Environment where targets need to be met, regardless of any negative outcomes from such.


Our Initiative


It is our intention to encourage the Construction sector (and all those associated with same) to become more Environmentally aware and, in turn, hopefully pollute less. Historically, the Government has tried to address the increasing problem of pollution caused by the Construction Industry via such legislation as the Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP). The Construction Industry has always shown reluctance to adopt such polices and, in fact, have been resolute in their approach which concluded by such initiatives being neither enforced or monitored although, and it must be highlighted, that some Companies have put similar process in place, albeit on a voluntary basis.


Our Objectives


We fully realise that we cannot force the Construction Industry to change any negative current practices overnight but our objective is to highlight the problem, where it is exists, and to educate the Industry of the need, and necessitation, to reduce pollution (both potential and real) that could, conversely, result in having a positive impact on the Environment and, in turn, lessening the Carbon Footprint of the sector in its day-to-day deliberations. We have proven (from previous small-scale pilot schemes) that adoption of such Environmentally Friendly endeavours, can be financially beneficial, and viable, to a Construction Company due to the lack of need for multiples of skips (also known as “waste Away”) on sites and, also, can have a positive impact, with regard the Construction project, with the key stakeholders, who include the Local Council/Authority and, indeed, future generations. It is felt that we need to change the “mindset” of the Construction Industry without the need for enforced legislation and this remains to be our primary objective.

 

Our Intentions


In general terms, the Construction Industry sees adopting any form of a Site Waste Management Plan, within its current infrastructure, to be too overwhelming to consider. This is where TGAL can offer its services. It is our intention to offer to train an operative of the Main Contractor on a site to become, what we call, a Green Ambassador or, if so wished, use the services of our own Green Ambassadors. The remit of the Ambassador is to identify unnecessary wastages on the site in question and to give advice and guidance to the Contractor so that such wastages can be avoided in the future via change of current practices. The Green Ambassador will also monitor and audit the processes put in place so that all new adopted practices are maintained and become even more progressive moving forward. The cost to have a Green Ambassador on site will be offset by the savings the Company make by not having multiple skips on the site and the labour that involves. This will enable the Contractor in question to save a substantial amount of money on each project and this can be an on-going protocol. It will also hit the objectives of the major stakeholders involved in such projects.
Specification of the training programme to become a Green Ambassador are set out under separate cover.

 

Proposed Deliberations

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TGAL will put in place, working with the designated Green Ambassador, recycling operations that address excess and unused materials on the site in question (the norm being c20% and upwards) and ensure that they are taken “offsite” to be distributed to:

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  • Local people within the impact zone of the Construction site for home improvement projects.

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  • Working with primary stakeholders, again within the said impact zone, to enable resources to be available for those who envisage starting up a new Construction business venture and this will be particularly pertinent to young people who may find “start-up” funding difficult to access.

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  • Local training providers to augment/improve their delivery profile of Construction Operations.

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The latter initiatives will have the potential to help promote employment in a given area and reduce un-employment within same. In summary, our endeavours will make use of materials that would otherwise go to landfill or disposed of in another manner, to the best advantage of all concerned.

 

Statutory Considerations


TGAL via initial aforementioned pilot schemes relating to the initiative,  have all policies (that include risk assessment pro-forma documents and pertinent H&S obligations), in place in order to realise what many consider to be a “ground breaking endeavour” become common practice within the Construction Industry. The expertise, and experience, of the personnel working for TGAL ensures that all considerations, and due diligence, with regard all statutory requirements, are met in full without exception.


Our Targets


We fully realise that we cannot, in any way, put ourselves forward as a panacea for all the “rights and wrongs” associated with the working practices of the Construction Industry but it is our intention, via awarding points that relate to compliance of pro-active Environmental practice, to aim to achieve a target of 80% of site “waste” being recycled. This will take a significant “change of direction” by the Construction Industry but, we feel, that this target is achievable and the use of those taking up the role of the Green Ambassador on sites, deliberating over education issues and bad practice awareness, will help, in real terms, with such an radical objective.

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Main Principles of our Environmental Management System (EMS)

PLAN

Planning the EMS to meet the sector needs

DO

Operate the EMS and give full support to ensure all

objectives are realised

CHECK

Performance evaluation throughout endeavours and

ensure measures are put in place to address any

highlighted issues

ACT

All actions are based on continuity of process improvement to meet circumstance and objectives

In Conclusion

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In a nutshell, the Construction Industry, as a generic term as some sectors have put some positive indicators in place,  cannot continue with its current practices with regard  to how it disposes excess and unused materials from sites, and embark on a programme of change that will benefit both the Environment and the population as a whole. What TGAL is offering is to try, one step at a time, to negate current circumstances and put in place a platform, for the Construction Industry, to use to ensure to best endeavours, that working practices are  both Environmentally friendly and do not impact negatively on the Industries Carbon Footprint.

The Planning Phase

All planning processes are subject to a SWOT (Strengths; Weaknesses; Opportunities; Threats) analysis so that the organisation uses its resources to best advantage. In order to meet the directives highlighted by a SWOT analysis, the planning phase is a critical part of such. There are several issues that may need to be considered at the planning phase in order to meet the SWOT analysis that, in turn, meet the objectives of the EMS in place. An example of such are:

 

  • Populating an Environmental business plan to meet the sector needs that are being addressed.
    Plan to ensure all processes are classed as Environmentally friendly in context
     

  • Ensuring all activities of the organisation meet both contractual and legal obligations.
     

  • Ensuring that all personnel within the organisation have common understanding of required objectives of the plan in place and work with common accord to realise same to best advantage of all parties involved. 
     

  • Lifecycle of resources, that are being considered, are related to via a perspective that will meet the objectives of the EMS in place.


The above relates to the strengths of the SWOT analysis.

 

  • Emergency procedures put in place where it is highlighted that it may be pertinent to do so. Such procedures should relate to the organisational policy in place for such.

 

  • All personnel working for the organisation are fully trained, and updated via CPD protocols, to address such procedures.

 

  • Being able to deal with any problematic issues highlighted and address to realise a positive outcome.

 

  • Evaluating all process in place, at regular intervals, to address any highlighted issues that may show a weakness (of deliberation and/or determination) of same.

 

  • Full documentation, of all activities, to be in place that reflect any indiscretions of process and uploaded onto a risk matrix to ensure no repetition of same.


The above relates to any weaknesses associated with the SWOT analysis.

 

  • Ensuring that objectives in place work towards the targets that comply with the set specifications of the contract in place.

 

  • Relating all good practices of the organisation, and associated processes, to external parties (such as primary stakeholders impacted by successful deliberations)   

 

  • Ensuring that all practices being advanced are subject to audit so that there is a continuity of improvement in same, where required, as an on-going protocol.


The above relates to opportunities of the SWOT analysis.

 

  • To be able to address any threats to the compliance of both contractual obligations and that of the EMS in place via evaluation, and analysis, of all process that the organisation puts in place for deliberation.
     

  • Considerations with putting an Environmental Review Plan being in place to relate to any potential threats to contractual obligations.

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  • Negation of any potential threats to endeavours, both currently and moving forward, by training of personnel within the organisation to realise such and to able to address in accordance with set protocols and augment their CPD.


The above relates to threats of the SWOT analysis.


This concludes the overview of a SWOT analysis that, albeit being brief in content, does address the key objectives of such.


Post the planning phase, our actions are focussed on:


Do: Check and Act.


Although these considerations are covered in associated text in place for perusal, they can, be précised by the terminology “What – Who – When”.


Concluding Statement


In general terms, our intentions are directed to work with Industry sectors in order to realise their full potential with regard compliance of Environmental responsibilities so as to reduce negative sector impact, and carbon footprint associated with same, to the best advantage of all concerned using protocols in place that are voluntary in status rather than legislative.  
 

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