The construction industry is responsible for producing an estimated 120 million tonnes of construction, demolition and excavation waste every year – around one third of all waste in the UK. More than 25 million tonnes of this is sent straight to landfill without any form of recovery or re-use.
Halving Waste to Landfill (½W2L) is a voluntary agreement that provides a framework through which industry can support and deliver against the target of halving waste to landfill by 2012. Developed in consultation with the industry, it directly supports the Strategic Forum's Construction Commitments and will be the key delivery and measurement framework for the industry as it works towards meeting this target. It is also in line with Scotland's Zero Waste policy and England's Strategy for Sustainable Construction, co-ordinated by the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Strategic Forum.
WRAP's ½W2L campaign, launched in October, consolidates the waste-handling aspects of the strategy, offering a co-ordinated way forward for developers, contractors and the entire supply chain.
By supporting ½W2L, your organisation will undertake to adopt a common approach to measuring and reporting on progress.
How does it work?
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The voluntary ½W2L agreement centres on a simple statement of intent:
"To play your part in halving the amount of construction, demolition and excavation waste going to landfill by 2012."
Halving waste to landfill by 2012 is a collective target, not an individual one. Individual organisations set their own targets and may have done so already. These may exceed or be set earlier than the benchmark, as it is the measurement and use of common metrics for reporting that is critical.
By committing to this voluntary agreement, you are asked to:
- set a specific target for reducing waste to landfill
- embed the target in corporate policy and processes
- set corresponding requirements in project procurement and engage with your supply chain
- measure performance relative to a corporate baseline
- report annually on overall corporate performance
In agreeing to publicly support ½W2L, WRAP would expect you to adopt the actions appropriate to your role in the construction process, using a common metric to monitor and report progress on an annual basis – either to your sector body, or directly to WRAP.
Who is it for?
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The ½W2L campaign can be applied to everyone in the construction industry supply chain – clients, design teams, contractors and their sub contractors, suppliers, manufacturers and waste management contractors.
By making the agreement relevant across the board, WRAP can facilitate behaviour change throughout the construction process. In agreeing to support½W2L, you organisation would adopt the actions appropriate to your role in the process.
½W2L is about catalysing a real and measurable change in behaviour.
What support will you receive?
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WRAP will provide practical help to implement the actions in the agreement. It has the tools, guidance, support and evidence you need to reduce your waste to landfill.
By supporting ½W2L, you will receive:
- A certificate to demonstrate your support.
- Guidance on how to communicate this support to your supply chain and your customers
- Including the use of the agreement logo.
- Free access to guidance, tools, case studies, templates, e-learning modules and other materials.
- Advanced access to industry performance data.
- Public recognition through a substantial promotional campaign.
Further information can be found at www.wrap.org.uk/construction
Useful tool - Waste to Landfill Reporting Portal
What to do next?
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- Make the commitment to ½W2L – complete the appropriate action sheet for your organisation and send it to WRAP:
The Old Academy,
21 Horse Fair,
Banbury,
Oxon
OX16 0AH.
Online Sign Up
- Understand what ½W2L means to your business and the relationships you have in your supply chain.
- Familiarise yourself with the actions required of you – in many cases, you may already be delivering against these.
- Contact WRAP on 01295 819 900 to discuss in more detail or arrange a meeting.