Waste management

The sites available for landfill are rapidly becoming scarcer, and the cost of disposal continues to rise significantly as tax rates climb. Waste management is therefore becoming an increasingly important part of the development and construction process.

It is vital to consider waste management at the planning stages of a project and think about the project in its totality. However, the legal requirements are extensive and can be complex.

Adhering to the waste hierarchy and following waste management best practice should minimise waste and maximise resource efficiency. In addition to the environmental and sustainability reasons for doing so, this efficiency can also result in cost savings.

This section is maintained by Dr Gregory Borne of Falmouth University.

Document template: Site waste management plan

Feature: Circular economy: role of facilities manager

Feature: Facilities management: Single-use plastics

Feature: Smart rubbish: IT and waste disposal

Research: Waste and the built environment: A case study from the UK (RICS)

RICS journal article: Energy from waste: an overview

RICS journal article: Waste sector can do more to curb global heating

RICS standard: Network Rail policy for letting waste sites

RICS standard: Valuation of mineral-bearing land and waste management sites