According to the Copper Sustainability Partnership, the UK construction industry’s plastic waste has grown 15 times faster than in Europe
The average rate of plastic waste growth in the UK construction industry was 210% between the years 2004 and 2018, according to the Copper Sustainability Partnership (CuSP).
The report highlights that the growth of plastic waste in the UK construction industry is rapidly approaching irreversible levels.
The report shows a daunting growth in plastic waste
The report details how, in recent years, the focus on reducing plastic waste has been on the plastic packaging industry, specifically. While this industry is the primary contributor of plastic waste, little attention has been given to the construction industry, which sits as the second largest contributor.
Through analysing data from the European Commission, CuSP have shown that the UK construction industry’s plastic waste has grown at a startling 15 times faster than the rest of Europe.
Many materials are not recyclable
One of the key points of the report is to show that, despite what manufacturers may advertise, many of the plastic materials used are not currently widely recyclable.
For example, the recycling of PVC in the EU is at a measly 3%, whereas copper, aluminium, and steel sit at a high 70% of recyclability.
The report asks, why are these materials not being used more instead of these plastics?
Co-founder of CuSP, Andrew Surtees, said: “In the plumbing sector, we have seen newer products like MLCP – a type of composite pipe that physically cannot be recycled – pushed by manufacturers as a sustainable option for installers and homeowners when the opposite is true.
“While most construction plastics are marketed as theoretically recyclable, in reality only traditional buildings with a long-standing history of recovery and recycling will be made of recycled material and go on to be recycled at the end of their life cycle
“With the UK construction industry falling further behind in its net-zero commitments, phasing out plastics in favour of fully recyclable materials with proven sustainability credentials remains one of the biggest opportunities for sustainable growth in the sector.”
