Wales Announces new plan to manage waste from construction and demolition
Wales Environment Minister, John Griffiths has today launched a new plan that will help the construction and demolition sector to manage and treat its waste much more sustainably, whilst ensuring better economic outcomes for Wales.
The Construction and Demolition Sector Plan forms a crucial part of the Welsh Government’s strategy to meet its ambitious zero waste targets.
It sets out a number of proposals around how waste from within the construction and demolition sector could be managed more sustainably and more affordably to ensure the best economic outcomes for Wales and Welsh business.
The plan focuses on four key areas. These are; waste prevention where possible, preparing for reuse by preserving waste materials, recycling and finally, where it is the only option, sustainable treatment and disposal.
Speaking about the plan, the Minister said: “Waste from the construction and demolition sector currently accounts for 14% of the ecological footprint of Wales’ total waste, making it the third highest impact sector. This means that improvements to waste management within the construction and demolition sector could have a significant impact on Wales’ overall performance on waste. This plan encourages waste reduction, and the preservation of old building materials such as bricks, window and door frames so they can be reused. It also encourages the development of an infrastructure for reuse between construction and demolition contractors and the third sector, measures that can only be good news in these difficult economic times. We know that the construction sector is vital to Wales’ economy, contributing 30% to Wales GDP. This means as a sector it has the potential to be a powerful agent for change in making Wales a much more sustainable country. I hope that this plan will encourage positive and sustainable change within the sector.”
