Waste management firm Reconomy offers some pointers for construction firms looking to make the best of Brexit
As a result of the June 2016 referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU, the construction industry is facing uncertain times. This uncertainty has begun to have an impact with a fluctuating pound pushing up the cost of construction materials. And this has made saving construction waste a real priority for many in the industry.
Speculation has been underway about how else the construction industry might be affected. Some predict the loss of up to 8% of construction jobs. Others look at the unexpected growth of last autumn as a sign that the industry won’t be harmed. There is a government review currently in progress, but nobody knows for certain the impact that Brexit will have on construction companies.
It is certain that there is uncertainty. But being uncertain isn’t an excuse for inaction. There are things that all construction companies can take action on to minimise the impact of a painful Brexit, or place them in a better position to capitalize on a positive Brexit.
Regardless of what happens, looking for construction waste savings as raw material prices increase will help prepare you for the storm and seize an opportunity.
It’s not necessary to wait for the outcome of negotiations to start taking positive steps. It’s recommended that you start looking at savings today, ensuring that you’re better prepared for Brexit no matter what happens.
1. Planning
As of now, the construction industry is wasting 100 million tonnes of material each year. Don’t think about your landfill costs – that’s material you’ve paid for that’s being wasted. You’ve already paid once, and now you’ll need to pay again for it be disposed of.
So your first step to look for savings is improving your planning. If you stop over-ordering, you’ve already made a saving before even thinking about waste management. So, take the extra time to plan out your storage, and you’ll lose even less expensive material to environmental damage.
2. Look for opportunities to re-use
No matter how great a plan is, there is always going to be waste created. There is always going to be left overs on-site, but that doesn’t mean it should be destined for landfill. If you properly organise your waste, you may well find that off-cuts are still in a useable condition for a different purpose.
If you struggle to find a use for your leftovers, you can still avoid landfill fees by considering trading your excess waste materials with companies that need them and doing this will keep your waste management costs down, and finding opportunities for the material you need will keep your purchasing costs low.
3. Look for larger economies
Larger organisations tend to find better bulk deals. That’s just the way the world works. But you can take advantage of this. If you find a waste management company, you can benefit from the sort of cost efficiency that only comes from nationwide networks.
Also, larger waste management companies may well have already started their plans to face Brexit. Plans that will almost certainly include finding their own waste management savings and passing them on to businesses like yours.
4. Stay up to date with the legislation
Even though the civil service will have its hands full unraveling decades of EU laws and their effects on the UK, it doesn’t mean that it’s not keeping a close eye on the construction industry’s compliance with legislation. Companies that fall short of the rules are still going to suffer financial penalties that are harsh severe enough to offset the good work of all your waste management saving efforts.
If you’re too busy to keep an eye of the latest rules and regulations – let alone handle the paper trail that comes with compliance – a waste management company will definitely help.
No matter the outcome of Brexit, be it hard, soft or somewhere in between, looking for sensible, practical savings will make sure that your business is prepared to survive and thrive.
By looking for ways to reduce the waste you generate, and finding partnership to reduce your costs and keep you compliant with environmental legislation, your construction firm will be on a firm footing. And if the foundations of that firm footing includes reused and recycled waste, then so much the better.
Source: Reconomy.
