75% support Site Waste Management Plans
October 18 2007
Plans which aim to reduce waste on building sites have been broadly welcomed by the construction industry.
Site Waste Management Plans (SWMPs) would look to reduce the quantity of materials used, encourage reuse and recycling and consider environmentally sustainable disposal where this was not possible.
Around 13% of material delivered to construction sites goes unused while up to a third ends up in landfill sites.
Three quarters of responses to the Government consultation on SWMPs was in favour of the idea.
Defra believes SWMPs could cut around 109m tonnes of wastage a year.
The views will now feed into Defra's preparation of regulations to come into force in England in 2008.