Packaging Problems - Episode 23 | Roger Wright

Construction Disrupted

When we analyse the construction industry, we often focus on the building cost. However, the true cost of inefficiencies, rework and waste is frequently underestimated. In episode 9 we spoke to Caner and Jayan from Gamma AR and how augmented reality can help to reduce some of these reoccurring problems.

But what about the tangible, construction is all about the tangible right? The physical products, the fabric of a build and everything that goes on inside it, where do these products come from? What are they made up of? Where will they end up? From raw materials to onsite waste there is a lot to consider here.

According to the CPA (Construction Products Association) in 2018 the UK produced 68 million tonnes of construction and demolition waste of which 5 million tonnes was sent to landfill. While the bigger picture will always focus on the actual product this intro has covered, today I want to turn your attention to the periphery and parts of a product's make-up we don’t generally discuss – The packaging. Let’s unwrap this.

Roger Wright is the Waste Strategy & Packaging Manager at Biffa, bringing his retail experience to the construction industry, more specifically bringing his experience into waste management. By developing this unique service Roger looks to help businesses think differently about the packaging they consume and become more circular in their approach, Roger designs out the materials they don’t need and implements the scalable alternatives they do.

It’s almost counter-intuitive as doing this will invariably reduce the waste created and therefore required to be managed but certainly a strategy that Biffa and Roger believe is the right one.

Topics Covered

- Is plastic evil?

- Learning from other industries mistakes

- Packaging policies

- Packaging optimisation

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Website: https://www.builddifferent.marketing/

Further Links

https://www.supplychainschool.co.uk/packaging-waste-report/

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/packaging-producer-responsibilities

https://www.biffa.co.uk/biffa-insights/packaging-optimisation-in-housebuilding

https://www.biffa.co.uk/biffa-insights/practical-guide-to-epr

https://www.constructionproducts.org.uk/media/557062/how-much-construction-waste-is-there.pdf

https://www.swiftpak.co.uk/insights/packaging-waste-in-construction-industry

https://constructionmaguk.co.uk/can-the-uks-construction-industry-lessen-its-plastic-usage/

https://www.sustainability-beat.co.uk/2023/07/31/supermarket-plastic-bag/

Mentioned in this episode:

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