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Over 50% of construction firms are unaware of SWMPs

13 August - Category: Environment

 

In September 2008, Site Waste Management Plans (SWMPs) became a legal requirement. Resaerch 6 months on from NetRegs - a Government backed body that provides guidance on complying with environmental legislation - and the Federation of Master Builders has shown that 51.2% of construction businesses are still unaware that SWMPs are mandatory for projects over £300,000 in England.

In response to findings, NetRegs has launched a campaign to help businesses and individuals to understand their obligations under the new law. You can subscribe to tip focused emails at www.netregs.gov.uk. Businesses in the construction industry already using the government-backed service are saving at least £2,637 a year according to research conducted by Economics.

During times of economic uncertainty for the construction industry, positive statistics show that businesses are successfully using SWMPs to save money and win new business. The NetRegs survey revealed that 45% of those that have used SWMPs reported money savings for their business as a result of less wastage and more efficient handling of environmental requirements. In addition, 25% of those that had used SWMPs stated that using the plans had helped them to win new business. The statistics suggest that having environmental credentials could be the route for construction businesses to differentiate themselves from competitors and win new business in a shrinking market.

Overall, the research indicated a very positive trend of construction businesses improving their environmental credentials. The survey results show that 83% of respondents have, in the last 12 months, looked at the way they work and have tried to find ways to reduce the amount of waste they produce. Two thirds of respondents have also changed the way that they work to prevent or reduce harm to the environment. As results show that environmental responsibility can result in business benefits, rather than increased costs, it is proving an increasingly important factor in businesses’ thinking.

Richard Martin, Programme Manager at NetRegs comments:

"Using SWMPs for all construction projects should be considered good industry practice, whether a project is above the £300,000 threshold or not. Our survey revealed that 52 per cent of respondents believed they did their best in terms of good environmental behaviour. This is a big improvement, and the construction industry must be applauded for its efforts, but the goal should be 100 per cent. Using SWMPs as a benchmark for this is a great way to ensure that all the right checks and balances are in place, to not only ensure legal compliance but, to help businesses add revenue to their balance sheets."

Peter O’Connell, Policy Manager at The Federation of Master Builders said:

"Site waste is an important issue for all our members and the industry as a whole. The research we conducted with NetRegs highlighted some interesting issues and we welcome NetRegs’ work to raise awareness and provide guidance to our sector."

You can see our free guide on SWMPs by seeing our Waste Management Guide. For more detail, visit www.netregs.gov.uk. Construction firms may wish to consider formalising their environmental procedures with ISO 14001 certification.

For further information, please contact:
+44 (0) 800 404 7007
press@british-assessment.co.uk

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