As we look ahead to 2019, consider these recycling industry trends that will affect your construction site.
1. More Construction Means More Waste
Construction is booming right now. According to the latest official data released by the U.S. government, construction spending is up 7.2 percent year-over-year.
Because of how much activity there is in the industry, that means there is also an increase in the amount of waste being produced at construction sites.
Commercial builders, industrial plants, and residential builders need to be aware of the importance of recycling excess material from their job site. The key is recycling smartly and not contributing to the current industry issue of contaminated recycling.
Industrial material that is contaminated and sent off for recycling can have a negative impact by contaminating other material that is recyclable, causing all of the material in a given group to be discarded. That creates a greater issue of increasing the amount of waste that ends up in a landfill.
Solution: make sure your team is aware of and properly trained on how to recycle material generated at your job site.
2. Is a Lean Construction Approach Right For You?
A lot of construction companies are practicing Lean construction or shifting toward that approach of project management. One of the pillars of Lean construction is reducing or eliminating waste through smarter processes.
By reducing the amount of waste generated at your construction site, it makes the process of recycling even easier — your team will not have as much waste to sort through to determine what’s recyclable and what’s not.
Then, your team will be more accurate when sorting recyclable material from the non-recyclable material to prepare for disposal.
Solution: consider whether Lean construction or adopting Lean construction principles centered on waste reduction is right for your company.
3. Technology Will Make Recycling Easier
New and emerging technology is making it easier for construction companies to recycle smartly.
Whether it’s drones surveying and mapping the job site, robots that can sort through material faster, or artificial intelligence (AI) that can predict waste needs, the technology is available to support smart recycling.
Not every piece of technology is necessary or will fit your budget, but if you find yourself needing a fresh approach to recycling material from your job site in 2019 and beyond, then consider how technology can support your processes.
Solution: evaluate your budget on current and future construction projects to determine how much you can spend on new technology to support recycling.
Gainsborough Waste Can Support Your Construction Needs
Our company offers a two-pronged approach to support recycling at your construction site.
1. We offer roll-off dumpsters in a variety of sizes that meet the needs of your specific job.
2. We have an on-site C&D transfer station that sorts construction material, including scrap metal, wood, cardboard (OCC), and concrete.
We are proud of our process that results in only 25 percent of material ending up in a landfill. The vast majority of the material that comes to our facility is recycled or transferred to another recycling station.
Contact our company today to find out how we can support the waste removal and recycling needs at your job site. We are available to take your call at 713-999-6178. You can also provide us with information about your specific job by completing the form on this page or emailing [email protected].
