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What opportunities lurk within your construction waste? Probably more than you think.

The UK construction sector uses 400 million tonnes of material every year, and it produces 100 million tonnes of waste. Today, most of that waste ends up in the landfill, where it may be out of sight but remains as a line item in your budget, costing you more year-on-year.

There’s never been a better time to take control of your construction waste. Here are three reasons to revamp your construction waste management plan.

1. Find New Opportunities to Save Money

Finding ways to save on costs without cutting corners is nothing new for the construction industry, but it hasn’t been more difficult to achieve in the past forty years. The cost of construction has seen mind-boggling increases between 2019 and 2021, and we’re not sure where the ceiling is yet.

The onus of controlling costs to prevent the collapse of building work remains on the construction industry, despite the cost of materials and availability of labour being entirely out of your hands.

Waste management, however, is within builders’ control, and there are real differences to be made in the industry, particularly in recycling.

How can recycling save construction money? It can:

1. Increase the use of recycled construction materials, which come at a lower price point
2. Reduce the price of raw materials by using less virgin material
3. Lower all fees associated with landfill use, including disposal and transportation costs

Not sure where to start? Recyclable construction materials include:

• Metals
• Glass
• Paper and cardboard
• Plastics
• Wood and untreated timber
• Asphalt and concrete
• Masonry
• Vegetation and trees
• Appliances, fixtures, and windows, doors, and roofing

2. Submit Stronger, Accurate Bid

Accurate bidding is an art and a science that you need to master. While a solid bid always starts with site visits and inaccurate takeoffs, you’d be surprised at how seemingly small line items can impact your overall bid.

The goal of your bid is to produce an estimate that is resource efficient. Yet you can’t be truly resource efficient if you aren’t fully aware of your waste costs.

With a better understanding of where your waste costs are and how you can manage them, you’re better able to plan and bid accurately. In fact, by evaluating your waste management plan, you can not only better track and predict your wastage allowance, you can even pass savings on to the customer that sets you apart from the competition.

3. Protect Your Local Environment and Brand Reputation

UK consumers are adapting a more sustainable lifestyle with every passing year. According to Deloitte, nearly 1 in 3 UK consumers stopped purchasing brands or products due to ethical or sustainability concerns. You might think that sustainability trends start and stop with the choices people make on the high street, but we’re not far away from the surge in environmental awareness impacting the construction industry. According to home builder Redrow’s 2021 customer survey, nearly two-thirds of homebuyers prefer to purchase a sustainable home, and 82% of buyers said they’d pay more for one.

Sustainability requires more than solar panels and insulation: it also requires the business itself to be responsible in reducing its own carbon footprint. These actions could be as simple as reducing the number of vehicle movements through compacting or baling waste. As consumers become better informed and better equipped, those players who adopt sustainable practices, from sourcing to waste management, are more likely to take an early lead in an already eager market.

Your Waste Could Transform Your Company

The UK construction industry has 100 million tonnes of opportunity every year. Whether it’s reducing costs today or improving bids or your company image tomorrow, construction waste is one of the few factors almost solely in your hands.

LSM is your construction company’s partner in waste management and recycling. Get in touch to learn more about how our balers can help streamline your construction waste disposal.