Site Waste Management Plans Q&A

Site Waste Management Plans came into effect on 6 April 2008. Check our guide to see if you understand how they work.

What are Site Waste Management Plans?

Originally developed as a Voluntary Code of Practice by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Site Waste Management Plans are simply a plan that details the amount and type of waste that will be produced on a construction site and how it will be reused, recycled and disposed of.

The aim of Site Waste Management Plans is to make construction companies forecast how much of each type of waste they will produce on a project, and how much of this waste they will reuse or recycle. This process should show firms the financial benefits of cutting down on the materials that become waste.

Another key aim of Site Waste Management Plans is to reduce fly-tipping, as construction companies will have to know where their waste is going once it’s removed from site.

Is my company legally obliged to have a Site Waste Management Plan?

Site Waste Management Plans are mandatory for all construction projects over £300,000.

What are the penalties for not having a Site Waste Management Plan?

Non-compliance could mean a fine of up to £5,000 or even imprisonment.

However, the implementation of Site Waste Management Plans is likely to result in significant long-term business benefits for companies.

How do I create a Site Waste Management Plan?

Site Waste Management Plans have no set format, and vary according to the size of building company or project. However, as a bare minimum, your Site Waste Management Plans should identify the following:

Who is responsible for waste management on-site;
The types of waste that will be generated;
How you will manage each of these waste streams;
Which licensed waste management contractors you will use; and
A plan for monitoring and reporting on the amount of waste you generate.

Ideally, you should draft your Site Waste Management Plan at the pre-planning stage of a project. This allows you to extend the plan to include design and buying of materials. By cutting out unnecessary materials at the outset, you should make more savings on the whole project.

How do I manage a Site Waste Management Plan once a project is live?

Once the project is live, the Site Waste Management Plan will need to be updated with actual quantities of waste arising. The amount of paperwork required will depend on the value and scale of the project, so for smaller builders, this may not mean much at all.

The success of a Site Waste Management Plans lies in the buy-in you get from your workers and suppliers. The development of your plan should always take place in partnership with the rest of your project team.

With any luck, once your designers, workers and suppliers get to grips with Site Waste Management Plans, they will advise you on how to cut waste on future projects.