ECM744 CONCSTRUCTION SITE

AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT

MSc. Civil Engineering (Construction) EC705

Profesor Madya. Dr. Ahmad Ruslan Mohd. Ridzuan

Faculty of Civil Engineering
Universiti Teknologi Mara
 WASTAGE
Waste
Minimization
And
Management
&
Case Study

Adapted from Hj Kamran Shavarebi Ali

Learning outcomes
 Be able to identify type of construction
waste [C02 –PO4]
 Be to define and evaluate role of parties
involved in waste management and
minimization [C02 –PO4]
 Be to propose plan for waste reduction
and prevention[C02 –PO4]
1.0 Introduction
Introduction…..

The construction industry is largest consumer of natural resources, using over 400
million tones of material per annum. It generates more than one-third of the waste
arising, of which only half is reused or recycled (primarily aggregates and metals).

Over 60 million tones of construction sector waste is sent to landfill or similar

disposal sites every year.

Construction Waste: Waste materials generated by construction activities,

such as scrap, damaged or spoiled materials, temporary and expendable
construction materials, and aids that are not included in the finished project,
packaging materials, and waste generated by the workforce.

Demolition Debris: Waste resulting from removing a building from the site
by wrecking.
Introduction…..

 Construction waste can and should be managed in the

same way as other home building operations.

 Efforts to reduce, reuse, and recycle construction

waste may save money, reduce liability, keep job
sites cleaner and safer, and conserve valuable
landfill space.
Introduction…..

Waste Minimization and Management (WMM) on

Construction projects will help reduce
the significant quantities of construction waste
sent to landfill
Introduction…..

Adopting the principles of good practice

WMM on a project can demonstrate a firm
commitment to sustainable construction and
environmental management.

If implemented correctly, good practice WMM

can be a straightforward process that can
deliver a range of benefits in addition to
Improvements in materials resource efficiency.
Introduction…..
WMM to secure a range of key project benefits. These benefits
include the ability to:

1.reduce material and disposal costs through a reduction in the

materials ordered and waste taken to landfill.

2.increase competitive advantage through differentiation

3.improve performance against CSR objectives.

4.lower CO2 emissions

5.meet planning requirements

6.complement other aspects of sustainable design

7. respond to and pre-empt changes in public policy, such as

increases in Landfill Tax
Achieving good practice Waste Minimization
& Management
Introduction…..
Using Site Waste Management Plans
A SWMP is not just a tool for managing waste on-site.
It should be also used as a tool during earlier project phases
to inform the development of the design by identifying
potential waste streams to minimize and targeting appropriate
rates of recovery

Planning and developing the SWMP before construction begins

will greatly help realize the benefits of good practice WMM
Introduction…..
Aiming for Quick Wins
On any project there are certain key waste streams that can
offer significant savings, otherwise known as ‘Quick Wins’.

By implementing three to four of these good practice ‘Quick

Wins’, there is potential to increase overall recycling rates of
construction waste from standard industry performance by
more than 20%.

Setting a requirement
Clients can provide a mandate for action on all construction
projects by setting a requirement for good practice WMM when
procuring design teams and contractors. This simple action will
be the crucial first step in realizing the key benefits of adopting
good practice WMM.
Making it simple
To help clients, designers, contractors and sub-contractors,
should produced a suite of guidance material of which
this guidance document is part, to assist in achieving good
practice WMM:

a high level business case for client decision

makers and a technical summary for implementation by the
contractor and their supply chain.
2.0 Why is good practice
Waste Minimization and
Management important?
1.0 BENEFIT

Reduced material and disposal costs –

less waste generated means that a reduced quantity of materials will be
purchased, and less waste taken to landfill will reduce gate fees for disposal.
Cost savings will stimulate the adoption of improved recovery practices and
motivate a sustained change in waste management practice.

Increased competitive differentiation –

Benefits both developers and contractors, particularly where this will help to meet
prospective client’s sustainability objectives.

Increased performance against CSR objectives –

Real performance against corporate responsibility and sustainability policies can
be quantified, thereby meeting the expectations of external stakeholders and
employees.

Lower CO2 emissions –

as an example, implementing good practice plasterboard recovery compared with
standard practice can save 4.2 tones of CO2 for each tone of additionally
recovered plasterboard
Why is good practice Waste Minimization and Management important?

Meeting planning requirements –

Planning authorities are increasingly setting conditions for environmental
performance as part of the development process.

Responding to and pre-empting public policy –

Those organizations responding to the thrust in public policy making for the
increased sustainability of construction and the built environment will be in an
advantageous position in comparison with those that wait until they are
compelled to act by legislation
Why is good practice Waste Minimization and Management important?

2.0 True cost of waste

The true cost of waste disposal is not just the cost of paying a waste contractor to
remove a skip from site, as illustrated in Figure.
There are also some additional costs not covered in the above, these are:

■ the time taken by on-site sorting, handling and managing waste.

■ poor packing or overfilling of skips leading to double handling (this cost is very
difficult to quantify).

■ the cost of the materials that have been wasted.

Why is good practice Waste Minimization and Management important?

3.0 Contribution to sustainable development.

There are three key areas where the development and

construction industry needs to increase its efficiency: energy,
water and materials usage.

Figure below highlights the various ways in which efficient use of

materials directly contributes to greater sustainability in
construction.
3.0 What is good practice Waste
Minimization and Management?
 What is good practice Waste Minimization and Management?

Good practice WMM should follow the waste hierarchy.

The primary aim should therefore be to minimize the
total quantity of waste produced through a project.

After this, the waste that is produced should be

managed effectively to limit the quantity sent to landfill.

This will involve recovering the material in a number of

waste streams for either re-use or recycling.
What is good practice Waste Minimization and Management?

The principal objective of good

practice WMM is to use
materials more efficiently and to
reduce the amount of waste
requiring final disposal.

Adopting the waste hierarchy

(see Figure ) to reduce, reuse,
recycle, recover and dispose,
makes good business sense
both for clients and the
construction sector.
What is good practice Waste Minimization and Management?
 What is good practice Waste Minimization and Management?

The potential for minimizing and managing waste should be

considered throughout the project. To achieve this, a requirement
for good practice WMM needs to be introduced at the outset of a
project when there is most scope to influence the project
outcomes.

The objective should be addressed in subsequent project phases

(design and construction) by all parties, with the lessons learnt
from the project implemented on future projects. The remaining
sections of this guidance will follow the key stages of the project
shown in Figure above.
 What is good practice Waste Minimization and Management?

1.0 Site Waste Management Plans -an overview

The Code of Practice for Site Waste Management Plans (SWMPs) in 2004 described
in Section 2.3, it is expected that SWMPs will become a mandatory requirement
across the UK.

The benefits of implementing a SWMP in accordance with guidelines have been

found to be 4:

■ 15% less waste on-site;

■ 43% less waste to landfill;
■ 50% savings in waste handling charges
■ 40% saving on waste management costs compared to landfill disposal.
What is good practice Waste Minimization and Management?

2.0 Waste minimization – an overview

Waste minimization is one of the most effective approaches to

responding to the waste problem in the construction industry.
Waste minimization should be considered not only for the
construction phase of a building but through to eventual
deconstruction. This requires a ‘cradle to cradle’ approach.
a. Design solutions

■ Building form – design building size and space to eliminate unnecessary elements,
and to reduce off-cuts resulting from the construction process, and ensure
compatibility between market supply and specification.

■ Design flexibility – ensure flexibility in design for future building expansion,

adaptation and dismantling.

■ Design complexity – reduce the complexity of the design to standardise

the construction process and reduce the quantity of materials required.
What is good practice Waste Minimization and Management?

a. Design solutions…….cont.

■ Specifications – avoid over specification and minimize variation in components and

joints; evaluate the reuse and recycling opportunities for the specified materials
before specification.

b . Demolition
■ Avoid the disposal of reusable materials and building elements; maximize the use
of reclaimed materials on site

c . Logistics
■ Logistic Plan – development of a logistic plan at the early stages of the project will
ensure that due consideration is given to material requirements through the
construction phase of the project, enabling efficient management of the delivery and
storage of materials and that the most effective logistic methods are adopted.

■ ‘Just-in-time’ delivery – improving the movement of materials to the site and

within the site to alleviate space constraints for storage and site congestion.

■ Construction Consolidation Centers –these provide effective supply chain

management solutions enabling the safe and efficient flow of construction
materials and equipment from supplier to site.
What is good practice Waste Minimization and Management?

d. Modern Methods of Construction (MMC)

■ Improvements in the products or processes employed in the construction industry,
ranging from innovative components to be used on site through to whole building
systems manufactured off-site

■ Off-Site Manufacturing – utilize prefabrication, factory assembly, preassembly,

off-site assembly/manufacture, panelized or modular volumetric construction where
possible, for example, staircases, lift assemblies, architectural steelwork and toilet
blocks for hotels, prisons and student accommodation.

e. Materials procurement
■ Materials ordering – reduce the amount of surplus materials by ordering the correct
amount of materials at the right time.

■ Material storage – material storage areas should be safe, secure and weatherproof
to prevent damage and theft.

■ Supply chain manager – will develop relationships and partnerships with

suppliers during construction who can implement waste minimization at source.

■ ‘Take-back’ schemes – setting up schemes with suppliers to take back surplus

materials.
 What is good practice Waste Minimization and Management?

f. Packaging
■ Reduce and reuse – engage with the supply chain to supply products and
materials that use minimal packaging, and segregate packaging for reuse.
What is good practice Waste Minimization and Management?

3.0 Achieving good practice WMM

The effective delivery of good practice WMM

on a project will require its adoption by clients,
designers and contractors from the project
outset.

The following sections address the roles and

responsibilities of various parties to achieve
good practice throughout the project.
This figure summarizes the key steps and
responsibilities for achieving good practice WMM
from setting a project requirement by the client
from the outset through to its implementation and
feedback of outcomes by the contractor.
4.0 PRE-DESIGN AND CLIENT
REQUIREMENT STAGE
Pre-design and client requirement stage

Step 1: Set project requirement for

good practice Waste Minimization
and Management

Specific client responsibilities include:

■ a corporate objective for good practice WMM

■ design team’s/contractor’s awareness
■ a project requirement in the design
■ project time and resources for
■ appropriate construction approach, whether refurbishment or
■ clear and detailed design brief
■‘partnership’ way of working
■ Efficient Use of Materials in Regeneration guide ICE Demolition Protocol
5.0 Design and works
procurement stage
Design and works procurement stage

Step 2 : Identify key opportunities

for waste minimization

The design and works procurement stage represents the key opportunity in a project
to consider and implement waste minimization practices, as identified in waste
minimization.
Design and works procurement stage

The design and works procurement stage responsibilities depend on the

procurement route adopted. Table here identifies who should be responsible for
good practice WMM depending on the procurement route
Design and works procurement stage

Step 3 : Plan waste management by developing a SWMP

The key elements of waste management for consideration at the design stage will be
to:

1. Identify the waste streams (e.g. wood, brick/concrete, soils, plastics etc.) likely to
be produced during construction and/or demolition to establish the potential for
re-use (on or off-site) and recycling

2. Identify the most significant opportunities to increase reuse and recycling rates
(termed Waste Recovery Quick Wins, (WRQWs) and the realistic recovery rates

3. identify where waste materials can be reused on-site (for preference) or, where
this is not possible, see if they can be reused off-site.

4. Consider appropriate site practices such as how waste materials will be

segregated, and the measures that will be used for raising site operatives’
awareness of waste reduction, reuse and recycling.

5. set out the method for measuring and auditing construction and demolition waste.
Design and works procurement stage

Step 4 : Requirements for good practice SWMP implementation and

targeting of Quick Wins

a.Pre-qualification requirements

As part of this process, the tenderer’s ability in the following areas should
be evaluated:

i. Experience of designing and implementing good practice in site

waste management.

ii. Ability to motivate and specify subcontractors and waste

management contractors to deliver the required performance.

b. Tender documentation and contractual agreements

It is important to set clear minimum requirements for good practice WMM
in the tender documentation, to which all tenders have to comply.
6.0 Construction stage
Construction stage…..

During the construction phase of a project, good practice

WMM implemented through a SWMP will have the most
impact in terms of minimizing the waste produced and the
proportion sent to landfill.

This section sets out the measures to achieve good practice

on-site.
This table identifies
these key constraints
and the measures to
adopt in order to
overcome them and
achieve
good practice.
Construction stage…..
Construction stage…..

Step 5 : Set targets and Key Performance Indicators

The following types of target and KPIs, expressed in percentage terms, can be
established:

1.Recovery of waste materials for reuse and recycling.

2.Reuse of materials on sit

3. Reduction in tonnage of waste per unit of construction activity

Construction stage…..

Step 6 : Responsibilities and contracts

Construction stage…..

Step 7 : Waste arising, reuse and recycling

Construction stage…..
Step 8 : Site design and training

Step 9 : Monitoring waste management

Construction stage…..

Step 10 : Review performance of the SWMP and lessons learnt

7.0 Waste Recovery Quick Wins
Waste Recovery Quick Wins

A. What are Quick Wins?

A Waste Recovery Quick Win (WRQW) is an improvement
in recovery (re-use or recycling) for a specific
construction waste material, applicable on a range of
construction projects, which will deliver a higher rate of
recovery than standard practice without increasing costs
and preferably with a cost saving.
Waste Recovery Quick Wins

a. Delivering Quick Wins

Particular materials will lend themselves to a range of alternative recovery

practices (relative to current practice), dependant on whether they are:

i produced in sufficient quantities to make the operating costs of the

recovery practice economically attractive.

ii easily segregated on-site.

iii significantly higher in value as a segregated waste compared to mixed

waste.

iv produced in a locality where reprocessing options for those materials

are readily available.
Waste Recovery Quick Wins

b. Cost-effective material recovery

The extent to which material can be recovered in a cost-effective way is
determined by the amount of effort and nature of the technology utilized. In
practice, the factors which influence these WRQWs will include:

i. waste recovery infrastructure

the local availability of waste recovery infrastructure (e.g. the presence of a
company able to receive plasterboard, for instance, from demolition and/or
construction projects, for onward recycling)

ii. gate fees – the gate fee charged for

material accepted at landfill sites, exempt sites and reprocessing facilities; and the
value gained from the sale of segregated waste materials where applicable.

iii. project baseline

the baseline performance on waste recovery from which the project is starting
from.

iv. site type – the location and space constraints of the site

v. time – the programmed and resource constraints of the project.

Waste Recovery Quick Wins

c. Project type and phase

WRQWs are achievable across a range of project types whether new build,
refurbishment or fit-out. This covers all sectors including residential, offices, retail,
industrial and infrastructure. Similarly, WRQWs will be available across all
phases of the construction process. The specific material WRQWs may change
between the following main project phases:

i Site clearance, preparations and underground services (e.g. demolition,

remediation, bulk earthworks, utilities and foundations).

ii Structural phase (e.g. frame, walls, roofs, floors, cladding).

iii Internal phase (e.g. internal walls, plastering and Mechanical & Electrical
(M&E) plant).

iv Fit out (e.g. doors, suspended ceilings, bathroom suites and tiling, carpets
and flooring, electrics).

v External works (e.g. roads, pavements, hard and soft landscaping).

Waste Recovery Quick Wins

B. Standard, good and best

practice performance benchmarks
Standard, Quick Win and Best Practice recovery rates have been
established for a range of materials, as summarized in table below.

The recovery rates shown in the table are for total waste recovery, both
on-site and off-site.
Waste Recovery Quick Wins
Waste Recovery Quick Wins

C. Financial benefit of Quick Wins

WRQWs can potentially achieve significant cost savings in addition to environmental
benefits. Identifying, targeting and delivering WRQWs, framed by an effective site
waste management plan, can deliver real financial benefits.

To demonstrate this, Table 7.2 shows that savings could be achieved for a £150
million city centre development incorporating retail, commercial, leisure and
residential by implementing WRQWs for a range of materials above current practice.
Waste Recovery Quick Wins
8.0 Model clauses for
procurement
8.0 Model clauses for procurement

This section provides a ‘family’ of good practice

WMM requirements that can be used in generic
corporate policy statements, project briefs and
prequalification processes, and subsequently in
tender, appointment and contractual processes for
traditional and design and build procurement
processes.

Figure below shows how this wording relates to

different stages of both traditional and design and
build procurement processes.
8.0 Model clauses for procurement
8.0 Model clauses for procurement

a. Policy statement
There is a sample of statement that can be used in environmental or procurement
policies to signal intention and provide a mandate for action.

b. Project information / briefs

Where the client sets a high-level brief to the design team or contractor, the
following wording can be included to define the overall objectives and requirements
for environmental performance – thereby providing the mandate for appropriate
technical solutions to be offered.

c. Pre-qualification
Assessment of capacity and competence to respond to a requirement for good
practice WMM should be included in pre-qualification processes for all parties
involved in delivering a project (e.g. designers, contractors, subcontractors
and consultants).

i. Designers, contractors, sub-contractors and consultants

Does your company have the skills and experience to implement good
practice waste minimization and management during the design and/or
construction phase?
8.0 Model clauses for procurement

ii. Waste management contractors

- Does you company audit and monitor its performance on reuse and
recycling of individual waste streams?

- How have you worked in partnership with contractors and/or

subcontractors to measure quantities of specific waste streams for
individual projects to help achieve high levels of waste recovery?

d. Tender specifications, contracts and appointments

The key requirement at this stage is to set out clearly what is expected of the design
team and main contractor and how they will demonstrate that they have fulfilled their
role in meeting the requirement for good practice WMM.

The requirements are formulated in different ways for traditional procurement

versus design and build, in order to set out responsibilities clearly.

i. Traditional procurement
Under the traditional procurement process, the client is involved in
separate tendering and appointment processes for the design
team and for the contractor. As a result, there are two phases of
appointment into which the requirement for good practice WMM should
be incorporated – first the designer and then the contractor.
8.0 Model clauses for procurement

ii. Waste management contractors

- Does you company audit and monitor its performance on reuse and
recycling of individual waste streams?

- How have you worked in partnership with contractors and/or

subcontractors to measure quantities of specific waste streams for
individual projects to help achieve high levels of waste recovery?

d. Tender specifications, contracts and appointments

The key requirement at this stage is to set out clearly what is expected of the design
team and main contractor and how they will demonstrate that they have fulfilled their
role in meeting the requirement for good practice WMM.

The requirements are formulated in different ways for traditional procurement

versus design and build, in order to set out responsibilities clearly.

i. Traditional procurement
Under the traditional procurement process, the client is involved in
separate tendering and appointment processes for the design
team and for the contractor. As a result, there are two phases of
appointment into which the requirement for good practice WMM should
be incorporated – first the designer and then the contractor.
9.0 Conclusion
Conclusion….

Good practice WMM can be achieved on all forms of project without a

fundamental change in working practice. In summary, key aspects of
achieving good practice WMM include:

■ early project implementation by the client to maximize potential benefits.

■ setting requirements for its delivery by the entire supply chain.

■ adopting a SWMP in accordance with good practice to inform design and manage
waste on site.

■ identifying Waste Recovery Quick Wins on several waste streams.

10.0 Case Study
Recycling
Demolition
Arisings at
Gairbraid Avenue
in Glasgow
INTRODUCTION………….
Reigart Contract Ltd (Reigart) as demolition and recycling contractors

Located at Gairbraid Avenue in the Maryhill district of Glasgow.

The methodology used required only two personnel to be on-site at any one time,
and using low-rise machines.

No soft-stripping was undertaken prior to demolition due to time constraints and the
machines used were designed to selectively 'pick' through the structures.

Although no specific recycling targets were set for the demolition works ,GHA
generally require their contractors to recycle as much of the demolition arisings as
possible in order to achieve recycling rates of over 80%.

At Gairbraid Avenue this requirement was exceeded and a recycling rate of

approximately 96% was achieved.
 KEY FACT………….
 95.9% by weight recycling rate achieved

 Regeneration project carried out by the largest registered social landlord in the UK.

 Total cost of the demolition and site clearance works at Gairbraid Avenue estimated
to be £400K.

 Contract initiated under a partnering (framework) arrangement with GHA

 Drivers for recycling stem from GHA’s ‘Sustainability Strategy and Environmental
Policy’

 Strong Contractor knowledge of the client’s needs and experience of similar sites.

 A good past working relationship between client and contractor.

 Demolition close to existing residential premises with time and social constraints.

 Removal of demolition materials from site prior to segregation, crushing and

recycling.
PROJECT DETAIL………….
Client: Glasgow Housing Association.

Demolition Contractor: Reigart Contracts Ltd.

Recycling Contractor: Reigart Contracts Ltd.

2 residential blocks, 3 storey building consist of 294 units to be demolished

Estimated total demolition cost : £400k

Figure 1: Typical
residential buildings in
Gairbraid Avenue
before demolition.
CONTRACTURAL ARRANGEMENT………….

GHA’s ‘Sustainability Strategy and Environmental Policy’ is taken into account for
all demolition works carried out.

As part of the quality submission and at the contractor evaluation stage of the
framework competition, GHA established the contractor’s proposals with regards to
recycling.

The form of contract used for the major part of the project was the Scottish
Measures Term Contract 1998 Edition (January 2004 Revision).

As a result of new GHA procedures that were introduced in August 2006, the
latter part of the work was carried out under the Project Partnering Contract 2000
(PPC 2000).
PROJECT PLANNING………….

1.0 Contractor Involvement

Reigart were involved in planning the demolition works through liaison with the GHA
Demolition Support Officer.

Following an assessment of service plans, a site visit was undertaken by both

contractor and client to identify any issues, constraints or potential risks to the site
operatives and nearby residents.

2.0 Achievable Recycling Targets

No specific recycling targets were fixed for the demolition works at Gairbraid Avenue as
GHA were already aware of the Reigart capabilities, approach and commitment to
recycling from previous successful work.

However GHA generally encourage their contractors to recycle appropriate demolition

materials in order to achieve recycling rates of over 80% according to their
Sustainability Policy.
 PROJECT PLANNING………….

3.0 Environmental Management Plans

Reigart operate in accordance with generic Environmental Management Plans (EMP)

for all their works.

Reigart generally only develop site specific Recycling Plans for materials that will be
crushed at the actual site of demolition.

Therefore, as all materials at Gairbraid Avenue were removed to a dedicated recycling

facility for which Reigart have developed processes and methods for all work, no
additional recycling planning was deemed necessary
 DEMOLITION WORKS………….
The demolition at Gairbraid Avenue was carried out by demolishing each individual
block, gable to gable, using low-rise machines.

The low rise machines leveled the buildings and separated the demolition materials into
stockpiles of timber, metal, and inert crushable materials where possible.

No soft-stripping was undertaken prior to demolition due to time constraints and the
machines used were designed to selectively 'pick' through the structures.

Figure 2: Low rise

machinery used for
the systematic
demolition of the
housing at Gairbraid
Avenue
 cont …..4.0 Demolition works
The method of demolition required only two personnel to be on-site at any one time:
one machine operator and one slinger or banksman.

This method allows for the systematic demolition of identical structures facilitating the
removal and stockpiling of like materials under safe and controlled conditions.

As a result of time constraints, primarily due to the close proximity of existing

residential premises, all demolition materials were removed to a Reigart recycling
facility located at Drumcave Quarry for full segregation, crushing, screening and
ultimately reuse.

This also minimized the possibility of theft of demolition materials and/or vandalism at
the demolition site.

It is understood that in line with other GHA demolition works, all buildings were
demolished to ground level, foundations removed to a specified depth and voids
backfilled.

Following infilling, sub-soil was applied and seeded to establish a grassed finish.
 cont …..4.0 Demolition works
The 4 key activities were:

1 Demolition of buildings and stockpiling of demolition materials on-site;

2 Removal of demolition materials to an off-site recycling facility;
3 Segregation, crushing and sorting of materials off-site; and
4 Restoration of the demolition site to a grassed finish.

Figure 3: Irrigation
of grassed cover
following restoration
of site.
REUSE & RECYCLING ACTIVITIES ………….
1.0 Recovery and Recycling of Materials

The approach of demolishing each individual block using low-rise machines in a

systematic fashion, allowed for the orderly identification and separation of
predominantly demolition material and waste materials into stockpiles,
where possible.

Following removal to the off-site facility, all materials were subjected to further
segregation and placed into stockpiles of concrete, brick, scrap-metal, wood and
general waste.

Where appropriate, materials were crushed and screened. In general, the concrete
and brickwork is crushed to grades appropriate to the requirements for sale, metal is
sold as scrap to merchants, and wood is used for primarily third party chip-board
manufacturing.

Since there were no time constraints restricting recycling at the off-site facility, high
recycling rates were achieved.
2.0 Disposal Activities
None of the buildings at Gairbraid Avenue underwent soft-stripping prior to initiation
of actual demolition works.

This was due to the demolition works having to be carried out as quickly as possible
in order to prevent theft and vandalism at the demolition site

The majority of the residual materials remaining in each unit, such as soft
furnishings, had no value for re-use to the contractor and were sent off site for
disposal as general
Nonhazardous waste.

Figure 4: Stockpiles of brick

work in the foreground and
timber in the background
after demolition of the
buildings at Gairbraid Avenue.
Note that these stockpiles are
still mixed awaiting further
segregation offsite.
RECYCLING RATES………….

The total tonnages of material removed in total from Gairbraid Avenue were as
follows:

1. Materials Recycled: 2846.57 tonnes

2. Waste material to landfill: 122.86 tonnes

At Gairbraid Avenue, this equates to average tonnages per block of 400 tonnes
recycled material and 17.5 tonnes disposed to landfill.

Therefore a recycling rate of 95.9% by weight was achieved for the demolition works
at Gairbraid Avenue.

A break-down of the waste materials percentages are provided in Figure 6 below.

RECYCLING RATES………….

..Recycling rates for this project were identified using weighbridge reports from the
Reigart recycling facility with the breakdown of recycled materials quantified by
tonnages.
..Fire damage was reported in some of the units which may have resulted in some
residual materials such as furnishings being destroyed; hence potentially aiding
higher recycling rates.
RECYCLING RATES………….

It is considered that the high recycling rate for this

project was due to the simple nature of the
structures (i.e.predominantly brick, masonry and
timber) and the fact that all materials were sent to
the off-site recycling facility
for full segregation.

In summary, significantly high rates were achieved at

Gairbraid Avenue as a result of:

1.the simple systematic nature of the project

2. good knowledge and history of similar projects

3. the use of off-site recycling facilities.

Figure 6: the percentage of
materials recycled compared to that
landfilled from GHA
QUALITY OF RECYCLED MATERIALS………….

As the redevelopment proposals for the site had not been

confirmed, the onsite re use of recycled materials was not
considered during the tendering process of this project.

As a result, no performance specifications were developed for

the recycled demolition materials and the quality and grading
requirements of recycling materials
would be ultimately stipulated by Reigart's clients.

Occasionally materials salvaged from Reigart’s demolition

projects, including fire surrounds and bathroom units are sold
for re use through their reclamation yard but the majority are
recycled.
 Drivers and Barriers to Recycling……..
The cost benefits of recycling were not taken into account at the planning stage of the
project.

GHA confirmed that the benefits of using demolition materials for re use on site had
been discussed in the past with contractors for previous projects.

However, it was concluded from these discussions, that if this was done, the cost of
demolition would increase since the contractor would lose the benefit of selling the
processed material at "market price".

In addition, the storage of the recycled materials at site would be prime materials for
theft before actual use in the redevelopment works, thus a cost increase would occur
due to increased security requirements.

Lack of redevelopment proposals meant that the re-use of materials on site was not
considered practicable.
Drivers and Barriers to Recycling……..

The underlying drivers for recycling were:

 Economics of the project and value of recyclables as

a resource.

 Financial benefit of recycling rather than landfilling

the materials.
Environmental & Social Considerations……..
The only significant environmental impact identified prior to inception of work at
Gairbraid Avenue was dust.

This nuisance was mitigated by the use of water sprays as dust suppressors.

During progression of demolition works, no additional environmental constraints

required consideration.

In addition, ensuring that security was adequate at all times to discourage children
from trespassing the site was also a key factor that restricted the demolition works.
As a result the off site materials segregation approach was considered appropriate.

To ensure that no nuisance to residents was caused, demolition only occurred

during normal working hours.

Bulk material was removed from site in roll-on-roll-off (RORO) vehicles and tipper
lorries prior to off-site crushing, re-use and treatment of materials. As a results =
avoid traffic (lories) and noise nuisance.
 Environmental & Social Considerations……..
Reigart have standard Method Statements and Risk Assessments for demolition
works which identify risks to human health and the environment and develop effective
mitigation measures to reduce risks to an acceptable level. No serious incidents
occurred during the demolition of this project.

Figure 7: Tipper lorry at

the Reigart recycling
facility at Drumcavel
Quarry where unsorted
demolition materials were
sent from Gairbraid
Avenue.
Project successes and future improvements……..
Although no specific recycling targets were fixed for the demolition works at
Gairbraid, GHA generally require their contractors to recycle appropriate demolition
materials in order to achieve recycling rates of over 80%.

No SWMP was developed for the demolition works and although Reigart operate
according to generic Environmental Management Plans (EMP) for all of their works.

The demolition works at Gairbraid Avenue achieved a recycling rate of approximately

96%.

The high recycling rates were achieved at the site as a result of the following:
a. contractor knowledge of the clients needs;
b. consistent nature of the site with previous sites from the same client;
c. a good past working relationship between client and contractor; and
d. uniform nature of materials present in the building structures.

This project demonstrates the significance of a good working relationship between

the client and contractor, the benefits of a past history of working together and
understanding each others targets for the works.

Furthermore, high recycling rates can be achieved under social and time constraints
by using simple effective demolition methods and off-site segregation and recycling.
Thank you