Minimising and managing the waste we produce is crucial to the environment and our efficient use of resources. Zero Waste Scotland ( http://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/ ) can provide advice and technical support in relation to sustainable procurement and waste. Scottish Government will soon be launching a new Zero Waste Plan for Scotland which emphasises the environmental benefits from waste prevention, re-use and recycling.
Further information, including a direct link to the Zero Waste Plan and a summary leaflet will be available once the Plan has been launched at: www.scotland.gov.uk/zerowasteplan.
Factors to be considered in creating Sustainable Specifications/Targets
- Ensuring that construction contractors have waste prevention and management plans in place to forecast outcomes, reduce the amount of waste produced, reuse and recycle as much waste material as possible, and use construction material containing recycled content and reclaimed products.
- Setting project-specific targets for waste reduction, recovery and use of recyclate/recovered material in tender and contract requirements, and specifying how project performance should be measured and reported.
- Specifying recycled content when purchasing materials such as paper and packaging.
- Specifying minimum packaging, reusable packaging and take-back of packaging.
- Specifying the use of compost made from recycled materials.
- Ensuring that recycling facilities are made available when new buildings are completed and when facilities management services are procured for existing buildings.
Further advice on sustainable procurement and waste.
In areas such as reducing waste and specifying recycled content a range of resources are freely available on the Zero Waste Scotland (formerly WRAP) web site www.wrap.org.uk/construction/scotland.html
These include for construction projects: model tender and contract clauses; waste forecasting, measurement and reporting tools; and guides for designers and contractors on practical cost-saving ways of meeting client procurement requirements
The Zero Waste Scotland Campaigns Programme (formerly Waste Aware Scotland) can provide advice on signage for recycling facilities: http://www.wasteawarescotland.org.uk/html/waSites.asp
Contact details:
Ewan Swaffield
Head of Zero Waste Delivery Team
Scottish Government
Tel: 0131 244 0243
ewan.swaffield@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Ian Mitchell
Deputy Director of Environmental Quality
Scottish Government
Tel: 0131 244 0240
ian.mitchell@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Iain Gulland
Director for Zero Waste Scotland
iain.gulland@zerowastescotland.org.uk
Callum Blackburn
Interim Manager for Zero Waste Scotland
Callum.blackburn@zerowastescotland.org.uk