The argument to choose a recycled, recyclable and sustainable uPVC hoarding system is stronger than ever given the recently published Waste Wood Classification Guidance.
After a four-year project led by the Wood Recyclers’ Association the culmination of the project will see two separate sets of Waste Wood Assessment Guidance published, one for those working in the wood recycling sector and one for those in the construction and demolition sector in England. Regulators in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be launching their own versions of the scheme in due course.
The guidance documents are aimed at helping waste producers and operators to understand and follow procedures to ensure the correct waste wood ends up in the right end market.
For Panthera Group customers, the Waste Wood Assessment Guidance, RPS 250 outlines how wood waste should be managed until the end of August 2023:
RPS 250 covers hazardous waste wood from demolition and refurbishment activities and requires all waste wood from construction and demolition sites to be assessed and, where deemed hazardous, consigned as hazardous waste using a hazardous waste consignment note with the correct waste codes. However, it also allows for the collection, storage, processing and blending of potentially hazardous waste wood from domestic premises, demolition sites and other business premises, to be carried out under existing environmental permits.
Further testing will continue to be undertaken until there is sufficient evidence to demonstrate what, if any items, continue to be hazardous. If hazardous material is still in the waste stream after the RPSs have expired, those that wish to handle it will need to apply for a permit variation to accept hazardous material.
See the full guidance here: https://woodrecyclers.org/wp-content/uploads/WRA-Waste-Wood-Assessment-Guidance-July-2021-V1.pdf
Timber Hoarding Systems
Due to the nature of the work, demolition and renovation sites are generally protected by hoarding to the exterior. Many of these site protection systems are made from plywood panels and timber posts which are usually painted and only used for the duration of the project before being sent to landfill. When painted plywood ‘dirty wood’ is sent to landfill it emits methane – which is harmful to the environment. It will most certainly be deemed as hazardous under RPS 250.
Sustainable uPVC alternative
EnviroHoard™ from Panthera is the UK’s first NetZero hoarding system, with an average 70% lower embodied carbon than a plywood hoarding. As well as being an equally cost-effective alternative, it is actually a no-brainer for main contractors. Not only does it eliminate the hassle of disposal – particularly given the new guidelines – it helps construction and demolition companies to meet their BREEAM and Considerate Constructor scoring.
A patent-pending low carbon concrete block, EnviroBlok, with 30% less concrete than a standard concrete block, together with a re-usable steel frame and recycled and recyclable panels provides a solution for contractors that are looking to avoid the issue of wood waste certification.
For more information, please see www.pantheragroup.com/sustainable-construction-site-hoardings
