Meet Our Member Template – Plastic Free July 2024
Company Name: Farrans Construction ltd
Contact Person: Victoria McLoughlin
Industry Sector: Construction – Building & Civil Engineering
TELL US IN TWO SENTENCES ABOUT YOUR COMPANY, PRODUCTS, OR SERVICES
Farrans Construction are a leading building and civil engineering contractor delivering world-class projects across the UK and Ireland.
We are committed to managing our operations in a responsible way by ensuring sustainability is embedded at the core of our business – helping influence our actions for environmental protection, a positive social impact and sustainable economic growth.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN RPM PROGRAM?
Farrans decided to join the RPM Program to help us make progress on our Circular Economy and Resource Management strategy.
We are striving to decouple economic growth from resource consumption and environmental degradation using our waste & resource strategy.
Our Strategy Targets
- Zero recoverable/avoidable waste to landfill by 2025, using the zero-waste hierarchy
- Eliminate single use plastic through collaboration with suppliers and staff using the Responsible Plastic Programme by 2028
- Ensure materials have highest utility value to extend their lifecycle and consider end-of-life treatment i.e., turbine decommissioning
- Create a closed-loop supply chain to ensure a circular flow of materials
- Promote innovation and new methods to recycle composite materials i.e., turbine blades.
Plastics and particularly ‘Single Use Plastics’ are a global problem, leading to pollution, ecosystem degradation, resource use and arising issues with micro plastics within our eco-system. These issues are also a major problem across the construction sector.
Plastic materials have become a dominant feature of the built environment, being used to manufacture virtually everything, from composites for wind turbines, pipes and cables to floor coverings, doors and windows.
As well as being a dominant feature in the construction of assets themselves we are also seeing an increasing amount of single use plastics on our sites, in the form of packaging and canteen waste.
We currently have 1.5% of our plastic waste entering landfill, to help create a positive change within Farrans surrounding plastic management we have joined forces with the RPM programme to help reduce plastic waste on site and within our offices.
However, to reach our target of zero avoidable waste to landfill we need to take action, with the help of the RPM programme we can increase our awareness, education and take better action to prevent plastic waste arising and manage its disposal better.
WHAT DEVELOPMENTS HAVE YOU MADE IN YOUR RESPONSIBLE PLASTIC MANAGEMENT JOURNEY?
Since starting with the RPM programme, Farrans have strived towards removing plastic waste from out sites as well as creating awareness of plastic management for our site teams., through the help of Aaron and Dave at RPM.
So far with RPM programme we have had 2 years of:
- Coaching sessions & Education
- Awareness of plastic management and how to eliminate it
- The creation and implementation of site-specific plastic action plans
- 2 years of action during Plastic Free July
Our next steps include:
- We will be beginning our journey towards plastic literacy
- We are working with our suppliers to address difficult waste streams including composites, PPE etc.
WHERE ARE WE ON OUR PLASTIC JOURNEY?
Our Circular Economy and Resource Management Strategy specifically targets plastics and waste as a specific problem with our zero recoverable / avoidable waste to landfill by 2025 initiative.
Specifically eliminating single use plastics with the help of the RPM programme by 2028. We are continuing to work towards a closed-loop supply chain to ensure a circular flow of materials.
There is still work to be done -specifically working with our workforce to address canteen waste and our suppliers to address packaging waste streams. We will be continuing to work with the RPM programme to support us on our journey towards a plastic waste free future.
What are your 2024 Plastic Free July goals?
During plastic free July we hope to tackle single use plastic waste on our sites, with a specific focus on canteen waste and packaging. We will take the following actions to help us make an impact on plastic waste this July:
- Single Use Plastics awareness raising
- Educational resources and training
- Site specific plastic reduction action plans
Take a proactive approach to really tackle canteen waste & packaging coming onto our sites through project manager leadership and site team engagement.
See link For more information about Farrans and their services – https://www.farrans.com/