Spec Finish

Sustainability www.thefis.org 19 1. https://www.constructionleadershipcouncil.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/ZAW-Interactive-Routemap-FINAL.pdf 2. Envirowise GG cover (greenbuildingencyclopaedia.uk) 3. https://asbp.org.uk/project/zap-project you don’t know, so at BW, we recognise that in order to meet our goals we need to develop a management process that starts with our clients and suppliers and ends with our waste contractor, not the other way round. “We are also working with our clients and supply chain to design out waste in the first place, and have partnered with organisations that will help us improve our performance and provide more accurate reporting. Our long-term goal is to achieve 100% circularity and zero waste by 2030, so waste is a key focus for us as a business.” www.wearebw.com The ZAP project One of the main functions of packaging is to stop products being damaged and therefore wasted. So, there is a need to look at packaging solutions as a whole, i.e. that will not impact on any health and safety issues related to the delivery of products, that protect the products and avoid unnecessary disposal, and packaging that can be reused or disposed of more effectively. The Alliance for Sustainable Building Product (ASBP) ‘ZAP project’³ (zero avoidable packaging waste in construction) is looking to generate a better understanding of the type and amount of packaging waste on site and solutions to reduce this waste. The project recognises the need to engage with the supply chain frommanufacturers (who package their products), product merchants, contractors (who have to deal with the packaging wastes generated on site) and waste management companies. Katherine Adams, Technical Director at ASBP, points out that we don’t have a good enough understanding of the types of packaging that arrive on site, on which products they are used and what ultimately happens to it when sent offsite. Without this understanding it is difficult to establish which interventions are needed to improve the packaging used and the management of it. She said: “Working with FIS members we can provide tailored guidance on where improvements can be made during the fit-out process.” Some of the issues that have been highlighted by the project (and previous studies) is that there is a lack of understanding of: • the types and amounts of packaging used – especially in relation to the types of plastic polymers used; • how to manage and dispose of packaging waste; and • knowledge of what manufacturers are doing and can do. The project will test and get feedback on a number of interventions ranging from elimination of packaging to materials substitution, weight reduction or greater use of packaging reuse solutions. ZAP will look at a range of opportunities ranging from: • design and procurement (e.g. packaging reduction or increased recycled content targets); • manufacture (e.g. take back schemes, more consistent and appropriate labelling); • construction (e.g. better segregation of plastics on site, use of balers); and • resourcemanagement (e.g. specification for recycling, better reporting of recycling rates). Waste segregation A case study fromHE SimmGroup, member of the Supply Chain Sustainability School (see separate panel) has shown how they addressed and implementedmeasures to reduce waste on site on the NewVictoria project, a residential development in Manchester. While HE SimmGroup was responsible for theM&E fit-out on the project, they aimed to accurately measure waste on site, reduce the amount of packaging on products delivered to site (using alternative packaging where possible), work with their supply chain to actively reduce waste, promote reduce/reuse/recycle and liaise with suppliers to reduce waste on site. They engagedwith their suppliers to suggest ideas for the reduction of plastic packaging, such as the use of crocodile boxeswhich can be reused or QR codes to replace instruction leaflets. On site, they have installed large bins and one tonne sacks, which are clearly labelled to encourage better segregation, and they havemeasured thewaste they are directly responsible for on site, helping set accurate targets for the future. By implementing those measures, they saved an estimated8,460 kg ofM&Ewaste on this project alone, and around £2,000on skips andwaste removal. Benchmarking This NewVictoria project is one of two case study developments that HE SimmGroup is undertaking to collect and benchmark MEP waste data, as part of their wider sustainability commitments. Daniel Southworth is the Resource Efficiency Focus Group Lead at HE SimmGroup, and he said: “This process has allowed us to determine key target areas and take accountability of the waste we produce, actively engaging with key supply chain partners to develop and implement waste reduction initiatives. “The success of the case study also demonstrates how a proactive approach to waste reduction can yield improvements in various critical aspects of construction, including safety and cost, in addition to the more obvious environmental benefits.” www.hesimm.co.uk Packaging waste tax InApril 2022, theUKGovernment introduced the packagingwaste tax, which applies to ‘packaging that containsmore plastic byweight than any other singlematerial’.This tax is applicable to packaging that contains less than 30%recycled content, including biodegradable and compostable plastics. (More information on this tax can be found on theCPAwebsite at www.constructionproducts.org.uk ) .This tax will mainly affect productmanufacturers as they are responsible for putting the packaging on themarket and it has led to some interesting approaches fromsome FISmembers, such as Knauf; their Sustainability Leader, Lucy Hall, said: “The introduction of the packaging tax encouragedKnauf to start the process of improving the recycled content of its packaging. One by one, we are tackling our products’ packaging to ensure that, not only is it the best environmental fit, but is alsofit for purpose.” www.knauf.co.uk Another Government plan for tackling packaging waste is the implementation of an extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme. Details have not been finalised yet, but the scheme could be implemented as early as 2023. Supply Chain Sustainability School In 2021, the FIS and the Supply Chain Sustainability School partnered to create a section of the school’s website specifically relevant to the finishes and interior sector, at www.supplychainschool.co.uk/markets/interiors Your sustainability strategy Follow this link to read about some of the key actions that you can take and also some of the wider sector initiatives that can support your business in setting a sustainability strategy: www.thefis.org/ knowledge-hub/sustainablility