Construction - Scotland

Improving resource efficiency in the Scottish construction industry

The Scottish construction industry contributes every year to about 10% of Scotland’s GDP and employs around 200,000 people. The construction sector is the largest user of resources, and generates the most waste (some 10 million tonnes annually). This amounts to about 45% of the total waste generated in Scotland and constitutes a major area of intervention for the achievement of a Zero Waste Scotland.

Policy drivers
In December 2006 the then Scottish Executive was the first UK government to specify that all public bodies in Scotland were to include minimum requirements for recycled content in tender specifications for construction procurement.
In 2009 the Scottish Government signed up to the Construction Commitments: Halving Waste to Landfill - a voluntary sector agreement aiming to halve the amount of construction, demolition and excavation waste sent to landfill by 2012. Many other players within the Scottish construction industry, such as the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and many large construction companies, have also signed the pledge.
- "Zero waste society" (press release)
The Scottish Government's Zero Waste Plan for Scotland, which includes actions to improve resource efficiency and drive waste prevention in the construction and demolition sector, is currently out to consultation.
WRAP's work in Scotland
WRAP’s approach is to encourage actions both on waste (reduction, increased recovery and recycling) and on input materials (increased reuse and recycled content in projects).
WRAP has been working with major client and contractor organisations, including the Commonwealth Games Village, Forth Ports, the Scottish Funding Council, NHS Scotland and the Environmental Association of Universities and Colleges in Scotland to set procurement requirements and achieve sector-level commitments to reduce waste to landfill. WRAP is also working with businesses to establish closed loop recycling markets for construction waste, from plasterboard to PVC to MDF.
- Case study examples of WRAP's work in Scotland
WRAP has developed a range of tools and resources to help the construction industry to achieve resource efficiency, all of which are freely available on the WRAP Construction website.
Partners' initiatives
Waste Aware Construction
One of the Zero Waste Scotland sites, it provides advice on resource efficiency in construction and demolition and case studies to illustrate the benefits of waste management on-site. You can also find information about the National Colour Coding scheme for the source segregation of site waste.
Envirowise Scotland
In collaboration with WRAP, Envirowise Scotland aims to help the industry improve resource efficiency and promote best practice in waste minimisation and management and the use of recycled content. Envirowise offers the construction sector advice, training, guidance and tools to achieve the waste reduction commitment of halving the amount of construction waste sent to landfill by 2012.
Scottish Environment Protection Agency
SEPA is the environmental regulator for Scotland. Its main role is the protection and improvement of the environment. SEPA regulates the way waste is managed in Scotland to minimise risks to the environment and human health. It supports the Scottish Government and other regulators in the delivery of waste strategies.
Remade Scotland
Remade Scotland was the first market development programme in the UK and is part of the Scottish Government’s Zero Waste Scotland initiative.

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Construction - Scotland

Policy drivers

WRAP's work in Scotland

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