The construction industry is not doing enough to reduce its consumption of plastics and packaging, according to a new report by the Considerate Constructors Scheme.
The Considerate Constructors Scheme has launched an industry-wide campaign ‘Spotlight on…plastics and packaging’ to raise awareness and showcase best practice in how the construction industry can reduce, reuse and recycle plastics and packaging.
The launch of the campaign – which features on the industry’s Best Practice Hub – comes in response to findings from a Scheme survey of over 900 people working within the UK and Irish construction industries.
The survey discovered that although over 95% of respondents said the industry needs to be doing something to reduce its consumption of plastics and packaging, over half of respondents (51%) have little understanding of the rules and regulations surrounding plastics and packaging, and only 44% know how to recycle different plastic and packaging materials. 81% of respondents believe the construction industry is not doing enough to reduce its consumption of plastics and packaging.
Considerate Constructors Scheme Chief Executive, Edward Hardy said: “As construction is the second largest consumer of plastic in the UK, our industry has one of the greatest responsibilities to society, and to the environment, to ensure that we are working tirelessly to improve our standards in minimising waste from plastics.
“The Scheme’s ‘Spotlight on…plastics and packaging’ campaign provides resources, practical support and guidance helping everyone to take effective measures to tackle this issue. While considerable progress is being made – with over 76% of Scheme-registered construction sites setting targets to reduce, reuse and recycle waste – it is clear that a concerted effort to raise further awareness, and to provide the necessary support, is needed to achieve this drastic reduction in waste from plastics and packaging.”
The Scheme is calling on all construction sites, companies, suppliers and clients of construction projects to drastically reduce their consumption of plastics and packaging.
Click here to access the ‘Spotlight on…plastics and packaging’ campaign.
