ECR has developed the concept of ‘at source separation’, utilising colour coded bins/bags. The materials are separated and placed into the appropriate bins or piles by the trades. At each stage of construction the appropriate bin/bag is placed strategically on site for the trades to utilise. When the bins are full they are relocated to the MRC, where they are collated and dispatched to various locations for reprocessing. The MRC has an onsite separator for the processing of sand and rubble waste so that this can be reused in the development.
One of the key benefits of this system is the collection of bricks, pavers, timber, plastics, metal and doorframes that can be reused by the builders. Frequently, builders over order because they are concerned with the risk of trades not having the materials required to complete the work. This results in considerable waste that inevitably just goes to landfill.
There is an option for a crusher to be located on site to crush rubble so that it can be used for road base, pathways and driveways. Again, a considerable saving to the environment.
The ECR system requires frequent visits to site, which means that the waste has less chance of being contaminated. For a typical house construction, ECR services the site 9 times, as opposed to the current 4 times when the builder uses larger landfill bins.