John Sisk and Son in conjunction with the Responsible Plastic Management Program and waste management contractors have demonstrated that Zero Plastic to Landfill and enhanced plastic circularity is both achievable and verifiable for construction sites.
In August 2024: The RPM Program announced that John Sisk has become the first construction company in Ireland to achieve a Zero Plastic to Landfill Certification at its Vantage Data Centers’ project in Dublin.
Through the responsible plastic management process Sisk has recycled at least 5.6 tonnes of soft plastics, 2 tonnes of polystyrene and 6.6 tonnes of cardboard. They led this initiative in conjunction with leading waste contractors and recycling partners, Thorntons, Waste Matters and their supply chain partner, Kirbys.
The initiative has demonstrated the importance of committed partnerships and open dialogues to achieve circularity solutions and verifiable results.
The environment and the engaged partners all win in this partnership. The collected soft plastics and polystyrene have been remanufactured into usable materials such as fence posts, flowerpots and insulation products implementing the key principle of the circular economy and value optimisation.
The contractor has been recognised by the Responsible Plastic Management Program (RPM) via independent certification which is in alignment with ISO/IEC 17065 procedures, with Sisk verified and certified as meeting the requirements of the Zero Plastic to Landfill requirements.
The certification includes independent auditing of the site and ultimately recording how plastic coming from the project is managed at its waste contractors: validating that the plastic does not end up in landfill.
The key message is that Zero Plastic to Landfill and is achievable and verifiable at the construction site level and throughout the construction and other businesses.
Sisk offers credibility as the general contractor for Vantage Data Centers’ flagship Ireland campus (DUB1), which will include 52MW of IT capacity across two data centers. The campus is being built in alignment with Vantage’s sustainable blueprint.
The treatment of plastic waste falls under the remit of the Sisk – Sustainability Roadmap 2030 where sustainable management and collaboration with supply chain partners to create legacies across construction are key in supporting its sustainability goals.
Donal McCarthy, COO – Data, Life Sciences & Technology, Sisk said: “We are very proud to become the first construction company in Ireland and the UK to achieve official RPM Zero Plastic to Landfill certification.
Our on-site team has introduced impressive sustainable practices, such as segregating and processing polystyrene directly on site, a first for Sisk. We will be creating a world-class campus and leaving a lasting legacy for the communities surrounding Grange Castle. This initiative ultimately supports the goals of our Sustainability Roadmap and UN Sustainable Development Goals.”
Noel Scanlon, Vantage, added: “Sisk has taken an industry-leading approach to plastic waste management and advancing circularity in construction processes,” said Noel Scanlon, Development Delivery Director for Ireland, Vantage Data Centers. “As one of Vantage’s partners in delivering our DUB1 data centre campus, we welcomed this initiative and are pleased to see all plastic waste from our construction site being repurposed and given a second life. Sisk’s commitment to sustainability aligns with Vantage’s ESG strategy, and we appreciate how this initiative benefits not only the planet, but also our community partners.”
Aaron Marshall, Engagement Director, Responsible Plastic Management Program, also said: “Responsible Plastic Management (RPM) is the future for construction and the RPM Program is delighted to award Sisk with the Zero Plastic to Landfill Certificate for the Vantage Site. It is fantastic to see the fruition of all the hard work and innovation of the Sisk team combined with the vision of Vantage for their ‘next generation data centres’. Certification was achieved through a rigorous external evaluation of plastic inputs, waste data, site audits to review best practice and visits to their waste contractors and recyclers to confirm end fates of plastic from the Sisk operation in order to verify they meet the requirements of the Zero Plastic to Landfill Challenge.”
The RPM now has a challenge call to make.
The Responsible Plastic Management Program now encourages all construction companies to start a Responsible Plastic Management journey. This can commence with small steps such as Plastic Literacy Training, base line reviews and then dialogues with potential waste management and committed partners. The RPM Program is available to support and promote activity and achievements.