The construction and demolition industry in Wales is being encouraged to take greater measures to eliminate waste under a new strategy published by the Welsh government.
Wales’s minister for environment and sustainable development, John Griffiths, launched the plan which sets out how the government will work with the construction sector to increase their recycling rates and reduce the amount of waste it sends to landfill.
The construction industry currently accounts for 14% of Wales’s ecological footprint for waste, producing 12.2 million tonnes each year. As well as setting waste prevention and recycling targets, the plan makes recommendations on how to manage waste to achieve more environmentally friendly and affordable outcomes for the construction industry – including builders, trades people and suppliers.
“Taking action to reduce the environmental impact of the construction sector is critical as our current level of waste is totally unsustainable. We have an obligation to ensure that we use our resources wisely,” said Griffiths. “The ultimate aim is to turn high quality recycled waste into a valuable resource that does not cause environmental harm, rather than it ending up in landfill.
Download a copy of the ‘Construction and demolition sector plan’.