Implementing a waste management plan during the construction phase of a project: a case study

The construction industry in Australia contributes approximately 15%, by volume, of all solid waste disposed in landfills each year. Similar volumes have been recorded in other countries. The Australian government, in common with many other countries, has legislation in place to reduce landfill requirements by 50% by the year 2000. As part of this programme an Australian division of a multinational construction company has developed a company policy with the aim of managing waste generated on site and, thereby, reducing the amount deposited in landfill sites. The programme has been supported by the Victorian Recycling and Resource Recovery Council. The first implementation of this policy was at the Dandenong Police and Court Complex in Melbourne. The effects of the programme have been compared against a similar project built concurrently. The results of the trial revealed substantial savings. A total volume of 15% less waste was generated on site prior to recycling and 43% less waste went to landfill. Cost savings of 50% were made in terms of waste handling charges. The savings resulted almost entirely from site based strategies for handling waste.