As a company at the forefront of the battle against waste, we took a look at whether we are starting to win the battle, and what good things are happening to combat the increasing generation of waste. We are aware that the recycling rates for household waste are still below 50%, but its interesting to note that household waste only contributes less than 12% of all waste generated. 

It doesn’t mean that your contribution to responsible waste collection and waste disposal doesn’t count. It most definitely does, and as more homeowners are diligent about their waste habits, the situation can only get better. 

The overall picture is important to us at Junk Removal Wirral, because it’s vital to see the bigger waste scenario. You may be asking what we found. Are we winning the battle against waste and who are the big waste generators if it’s not households? 

The short answer is “Yes! We are winning the battle against waste”, and year on year the responsible waste management methods and levels of reuse of waste are improving.

Waging War on Waste 

In terms of sheer volumes, construction and demolition waste make up the bigger waste sector, being over 60% of total waste. The good news is that 93% of this according to the government statistics, is used in a recycled form, such as backfill or for filling up disused mining operations. 

Couple this with commercial and industrial waste, which accounts for approximately 20% of the waste generated, we see that the majority of waste comes from the commercial sector. 

How Much Waste Are we Talking About?

According to Government figures, most of the 220 million tons of waste in the UK is from England. With large projects on the drawing board in the country the construction and demolition waste numbers will certainly increase. The good news is that landfill waste from households continues to decrease, showing that the war on waste is being won. 

Two thirds of packaging waste is recycled or recovered, and although this number is static, as “greener “ packaging options become more enforceable by law, the battle against waste from packaging will be won too.  

What do we know about construction and demolition waste? 

New construction projects are designed to make our lives easier and, in many instances, travel quicker. The construction industry employs thousands of workers on projects across the country, boosting the economy in the process. A by product of construction projects is the waste that is left behind in the process of creating something new. It’s unavoidable, but the good news is that the majority of the construction waste that gets generated is reused or recycled. 

When we look at the sheer scope and size of many of the big construction projects it answers the question why this sector is by far the greatest contributor to the waste stream. Let’s look at some of the bigger projects on the go at present and some of the challenges they present. 

The new Crossrail tunnel network is underway above and underground in London. Imagine the headache of having to deal with the 26 miles of burrowed earth from the 6.2- meter diameter tunnels that are being created to house a rail network. Not only that, but 10 new stations have been constructed with all the add-ons that are needed to ensure that the railway runs smoothly. 

Imagine the challenges faced by the developers of the new £16bn nuclear power station in Somerset, who while building discovered the ground to be so unstable that they had to excavate ground to levels of up to 34 meters. They then had to stabilize it to ensure the safety of the nuclear reactors 

This project has used the most concrete ever-some 9000 tons, using the world’s largest crane. Projects don’t get bigger than this, extending the contractors needs to deal with waste and excavated soil responsibly. 

The size of the projects is mindboggling, as engineers and planners plot our future landscapes, making travel easier as populations expand, and tourism numbers grow again. Two future projects-a new runway at Heathrow, and a high-speed railway link between London and Birmingham are on the cards for future development. 

All the while, the Construction industry is being driven by commercial growth, and fueled by the energy sector. Energy waste is a necessary evil, as we need energy to expand. Fossil fuels like coal or gas are burnt to create this energy, at the same time spewing waste in the form of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.

Dealing With Waste

We have seen the effectiveness of dealing with construction and demolition waste, but what about industrial waste? This kind of waste is more complex, as it often comprises different elements that need to be segregated before waste collection and ultimate waste disposal are made.

First, there is solid waste, which often ends up in a landfill. This could consist of food or animal waste, or leftovers from manufacturing processes. Industry often produces toxic or hazardous waste which requires specialist handling. This form of waste must be prevented from reaching the environment at all costs. 

Medical waste falls into this category and as we have seen that tight protocols have recently had to be put in place at hospitals, clinics, and health practitioners when it comes to the disposal of used PPE and medical supplies. 

Chemical waste and wastewater treatment assume priority in the regulation of disposal processes in industry. Industry is understandably the most watched when it comes to waste management processes, with huge fines being levied on transgressors.

Let us Help You 

Think of Junk Removal Wirral when you are faced with having to deal with your waste. 

Our waste removal and disposal methods are guided by best practice. Together we can continue to reduce waste further and win the war on the scourge and threat that waste presents to our society. 

Please contact us today for a No Obligation quote for your waste removal in the Wirral, Liverpool, Chester, and Ellesmere Port area.  

Wirral & Liverpool 0151 808 0407

Chester 01244 953100

Email: enquiries@junkremovalwirral.co.uk

Website: https://www.junkremovalwirral.co.uk/