Project Recycling Challenge Delivered By Starfish Construction
Starfish Construction is at the forefront of the UK building envelope sector. Refurbishing buildings' potentially creates more waste destined for landfills than any other area of construction.
According to government statistics, construction and demolition businesses in the UK generated 66.2 million tonnes of waste. But according to industry reports, over 90% could be recovered and recycled.
Integrating waste management with building envelope projects to create a more sustainable environment
As part of any new project, we have tasked our site managers with seeking waste material recycling opportunities. But it's not just about recycling; as part of our CSR, we want to give back to the project communities.
The innovative recycling challenge
Starfish Construction was appointed to a high-profile external wall insulation & glazing reinstatement project in 2022, working with chartered surveyors and commercial property specialists, Jones Melling.
The project involved the removal of the existing External Wall Insulation (EWI) and replacing the current glazing system on a fully occupied over 55's residency - a 14-storey high-rise tower block in Leeds – Sherburn court, owned by Leeds City Council.
Safety concerns over falling debris prompted the swift commencement of works to remove the existing EWI system comprised of a 40 mm MF board and render. In addition to the renewal of the external wall insulation, our scope of works included replacing the glazing system, renewing the capping to the roof level and painting up to the parapet walls. The block comprises approximately 4033 m2 of walls and over 400 windows and doors.
A carbon footprint measures the total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organisation, event or product. It calculates the greenhouse gases expected to be produced by all our activities and measures them in units and tonnages of carbon dioxide. (Eurocell 2019)
Out-of-box thinking
The construction industry is sometimes too slow in considering how waste is recycled. But Sherburn Court has been a keystone project for everyone at Starfish Construction.
"I started on the Sherburn Court project early in March 2022; you could instantly see how passionate the block management team were looking after the residents and wanted them to have a positive experience from the refurbishment, not an inconvenience. After meeting some residents, I understood why Starfish Construction had already agreed to contribute to several undertakings as part of the Considerate Constructors Scheme." John Bremner, Senior Site Manager, Starfish Construction
The site team had discussions around the benefits to the community, agreeing that any monies gained from recycling would go back to the residents. After several dead ends, they finally found the right partners to provide the best recycling opportunities. Paul Freakish from Saint-Gobain Glass UK and Ryan Knight from Plastic Expert, a specialist plastic recycling company.
"I set myself a challenge - how can I go one step further? The project management team went through the scope of works, highlighting what was recyclable."
John Bremner, Senior Site Manager, Starfish Construction
Who is Saint-Gobain Glass UK?
Saint-Gobain Glass UK, based at Eggborough, manufactures 700 tonnes of float glass daily. Their innovative and environmental glass recycling process helps UK businesses take a step closer to net zero. They utilise cullet glass, recycled or recovered from other production processes to use in domestic and commercial applications, including clear, energy-saving, and coated glass.
"The collaboration with Starfish Construction at the Sherburn Court refurbishment was one of the first projects of its type to be successful.
Key to success was the discipline on site to segregate waste streams and prevent contamination, as this would create significant problems at the furnace. In total, we removed 30 tonnes of glass, with each tonne equal to saving 300kg of CO2 compared to "new" glass made from raw materials like sand and silica." Paul Freakish, Saint-Gobain
Who is Plastic Expert?
Plastic Expert is a leading plastic recycler working with UK businesses to recycle plastic waste sustainably. They focus on diverting plastic and packaging waste from landfills through measurable and ethical recycling.
"While uPVC is a durable material that can last 30-40 years, most skipped uPVC ends up in landfills. Working with our partners, Plastic Expert has revolutionised the process, so uPVC can be used again and again instead of ending up as waste. Our process enables companies to recycle their uPVC up to ten times over, meaning one window frame could last for 300 years. That way, you'll save money and help save the planet". Ryan Knight, Plastic Expert
Complete uPVC Window recycling
As Starfish Construction operatives removed the old windows, a site-wide procedure ensured all the windows were loaded into a designated skip with zero contamination from other waste materials. The parts would be separated with the uPVC broken down into pellets, the metal elements recycled and the glass cullet remelted and reused.
Once separated, the uPVC parts of the frames are pulped into contamination-free pellets to be remanufactured into everything from garden furniture to new uPVC windows.
Recycled communal garden furniture for residents
The recycling efforts raised £1,200, and the team sourced Plaswood, a company that creates garden furniture from recycled plastic. It is particularly suitable for outdoor environments and does not require painting or chemical treatment before use. It is a non-absorbing material and is resistant to all kinds of weather, meaning it will not degrade over time.
"Although the obvious benefits to the environment remain the principal reasons to recycle, they are not the only reasons. Efficient waste management can also be extremely cost-effective and is now a legal requirement in line with government guidelines on waste disposal compliance." John Bremner, Senior Site Manager, Starfish Construction
