It’s no secret that construction is one of the most significant producers of waste of any industry. According to Wrap, the construction industry accounts for 60% of all materials used, creates 33% of waste and generates 45% of all CO2 emissions in the UK.

With such a huge capacity to produce waste, which could be damaging or harmful to the environment, there should be strict regulations set in place to ensure the correct protocol is followed and the risks are reduced. In 2008, legislation was passed to enforce the proper management of waste was followed on English construction sites. Site Waste Management Plans (SWMP) were compulsory to all construction projects costing over £30,000. The SWMP records the volume of waste created on a construction site and documents how it will be disposed of, recycled or reused.

Billions are thrown away each year in scandalous and preventable waste, which also destroys companies' green credentials.

The average British worker uses – and throws away – around 400 disposable plastic cups every year in what's been dubbed one of the great-unreported waste scandals.

Leading waste management specialist Avanti Environmental Group has invested in new technology for the expansion of its plant in Knowsley, Merseyside.

The extended facility is due for commissioning in 2016 and will create additional jobs.

A survey carried out by UNTHA UK has revealed that the majority of people will only invest in energy efficient waste machinery, if they can be sure they won’t suffer financially.

UNTHA’s latest online poll (August) asked participants to pick the statement that most applies to them, when it comes to so-called ‘green’ technologies. Keen to discover whether such equipment is considered a priority or a profit penalty, UNTHA posed three options for industry professionals to choose from.

Mixing specialist SYSTEM MIX LTD has made an important contribution to the operational success and environmental sustainability of Northumbrian Water’s advanced anaerobic digestion operations at their Bran Sands, Middlesbrough and Howdon, Newcastle sites in the North East. Following the implementation of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive and the subsequent ban on the disposal of sludge to the North Sea, Northumbrian Water (NW) embarked on the construction of what was at the time, the UK’s largest thermal sludge drying facility. The project was part of NW TEES strategy to provide centralised treatment for municipal sewage and industrial effluents for the Middlesbrough and Teeside area on a single site at Bran Sands, along with dewatering with lime stabilisation at the Howdon site.

Merseyside’s local economy received a boost last month as operations started on a new residual waste contract between leading UK waste management company Viridor and Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority (MRWA).

The new contract ensures that 20,000 tonnes of waste will be diverted away from landfill in a short-term partnership that brings immediate environmental and economic benefits for Merseyside. After pre-treatment into a fuel, the waste will be transformed into renewable energy at Viridor’s Runcorn Energy Recovery Facility (ERF).

Recycling specialist Riverside Waste machinery has been awarded a prestigious accreditation from SafeContractor, for its commitment to health and safety excellence.

Viridor has published its response to a joint consultation on waste crime from Defra and the Welsh Government, to call for Government action to address the problem.

The response sends a clear message that it’s time for the Government to step-up in supporting the sector, amid fears that resources and waste policy has been left in a state of flux.