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Toolbox Talk- Sustainability Campaign

7th May 2021 By Faradays Electrical Leave a Comment

 “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.”(Robert Swan, Author)

As the relationship between the human world and the planet that sustains it has undergone a profound change over the course of the century, there are some actions we are able to take to reduce risks and protect the environment by making some changes now. The aim for the Sustainability Campaign is to raise the awareness and help understand the current issues surrounding sustainability and advice on steps we can all take to minimise our impact on the environment, reducing business costs and be mindful when it comes to use of materials and resources.

Sustainability (environmental) is the quality of producing services and goods in ways that do not use irreplaceable resources with minimum or no damage to the environment and therefore being able to continue over period of time.

Sustainable development defined by Brundtland Commission (WCED, 1987) is that of which meets the needs of present without compromising the ability for the future generations to meet their own needs.

Sustainability has been talked about a lot in recent years. The issue of climate change can sometimes feel overwhelming and we often tend to think that us as individuals are limited in making a difference, however collectively our small actions scale up and can play a significant role. The aim of sustainable construction is to reduce the industry’s impact on the environment.

During the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and national lockdowns lower levels of nitrogen dioxide and small particle pollution have been reported in several UK cities, partly due to reduced traffic. Nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter can cause severe respiratory problems and worsen existing conditions such as asthma, which means that any overall reduction in pollution levels benefits public health. However, World Health Organisation (WHO) is urging for more widespread climate action stating that ‘Any short-term environmental benefits as a result of COVID-19 come at an unacceptable human and economic cost, and are no substitute for planned and sustained action on air quality and climate.’

Sustainable construction methods include:

  • Using renewable and recyclable resources
  • Reducing energy consumption
  • Reducing waste
  • Proper disposal of hazardous waste
  • Reducing company’s impact on the environment
  • Protecting the natural environment
Reduce, reuse, and recycle- Day to day tips
Idea is to reduce expenditure and help the environment by minimising the amount of materials and environmental resources we use and reducing the amount we throw away.
 
Recycle to allow materials to be reused as oppose to them ending up in landfill. It is important that recyclable items are differentiated by material and recycled properly. To make sure the recycling system in the UK is more officiant you can take the following advice and screw back plastic lids and push back straws into cartons as most recycling sorting machines will reject anything narrower than 400mm, squash bottles to save space and stop them rolling off the sorting machine conveyor belts, empty and rinse to avoid any leakage from contaminating other recyclable materials such as card and paper if recycled in the same load.
Reduce energy consumption (heat and electricity) by equipment running as efficiently as possible and using energy efficient equipment, use of hot/ cold water, minimise use of paper at home and work by adopting digital working methods.
Reuse shopping bags, refillable water bottles and travel mugs to reduce the plastic waste. Try reusing and fixing things where possible.
Driving-
According to the Carbon Trust, travel makes up around 33 per cent of the average British person’s carbon footprint. If you can, walk, cycle or take public transport instead of driving.
  • Keeping your tyres properly inflated and vehicle well maintained can increase your fuel efficiency
  • Try and avoid harsh acceleration and breaking
Waste on Construction Sites-
With UK construction industry as the largest consumer of resources (requiring more than 400 million tonnes of material a year), 32% of landfill waste comes from construction and demolition of buildings and 13% of products delivered directly to site being sent to landfill without even being used. (ref. ukconstructionmedia.co.uk)
Steps to Follow to Reduce Waste on Site:
  • Plan what you are buying and avoid over ordering, as this increases waste.
  • Eliminate waste from your work by using leftover materials from one job on the next one as this is usually cheaper than having to dispose of waste, is more environmentally friendly and also cost officiant to the company.
  • Recycle where you cannot eliminate or reduce waste, recover and reuse lengths of wiring and cabling during and between projects.
  • Look for the shortest cabling route whenever possible, but make sure you comply with wiring regulations.
  • Reduce your packaging to reduce waste on your construction site.
  • Be aware of the types of waste you produce and whether you need to deal with hazardous types of waste such as asbestos or those containing hazardous substances e.g. fluorescent tubes, refrigerators and microwaves.
  • Take steps to protect completed work so others cannot damage it.
  • Work efficiently – e.g. reduce tails to a minimum and don’t install more lights and sockets than are needed.
  • Find out how sustainable materials you use are and trial those with a higher recycled content e.g. plastic cable trunking. Work with your supply chain to purchase sustainable materials from local suppliers.
  • Encourage the use of energy efficient lighting.
  • Keep store area secure, dry and organised as poor storage conditions can result in damage and waste. This applies also to area the materials are stored on site.
  • Instruct costumers the use of the installation e.g. leave manuals and clear maintenance instructions.
All staff should store and manage WEEE separately from other types of waste; which include the following: phones, CCTV, alarming systems, fridges, computers, microwaves and other electric tools.
All staff must comply with the Site Waste Management Plan and ensure waste is properly disposed of.
Useful Links-
How to recycle in the UK- https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/recycling/article/how-to-recycle-in-the-uk
Classifying different types of waste- https://www.gov.uk/how-to-classify-different-types-of-waste
Found tips on recycling and where to recycle near you- https://www.recyclenow.com/
Tips on reducing your carbon footprint- https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/zero-carbon/reduce-carbon-footprint/
Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012- https://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/regulations.htm
Disposing of construction waste- https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/disposing-of-construction-waste/
World Health Organisation (WHO) – https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-climate-change

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