ZAP project first report released: The plastic packaging problem on construction sites

An initial report released by Zero Avoidable Packaging in waste construction (ZAP) has aimed to better understand the key types of plastic packaging arising on construction sites and identify opportunities for reduction and better management of them across the construction lifecycle.

Funded by the Ecosurety Exploration Fund and led by the Alliance for Sustainable Building Products, the ZAP project links with real-world construction projects to build case studies and develop training guidance that will demonstrate the positive actions the whole supply chain and sector can do.

Barriers to recycling

In its maiden report since the project was launched in February the ZAP project has found that on-site barriers in the construction sector such as limited initiatives to reduce packaging, inadequate commitment to increasing recycled content, and a lack of substitute materials, can make recycling problematic.

Further compounding the problem are the economics of segregation on-site, the variety of plastic packaging types on construction sites, and the difficulty of segregating plastic packaging materials, which can lead to contamination and difficulty of reprocessing it further down the chain.

It was also found that reuse of packaging is not commonplace. Only a few examples were found in relation to reusable, collapsible boxes for mechanical and electrical products and use of returnable bulk containers for liquids. The cost of logistics and the possible need for Environmental Permits were also cited as barriers.