Construction sites are the visible face of the construction industry - and they are not always clean, but stained with various kinds of garbage. Why did this?
I would argue that littering is rarely intentional. The goal is not an untidy environment or sea littering. None of us wants to swim in garbage or spread our picnic blanket over cigarette butts.
Littering is the result of thoughtlessness. Because no attention has been paid to the matter. For example, when opening the package, the main interest is in the product: getting it to use in the desired place, in the right position and intact. At this point, the packaging has done its job and it doesn't get our attention if it tears or ends up on the ground. In the same way, a coffee mug or a snack wrapper is meaningful as long as there is something to eat or drink inside.
Thanks to long-term monitoring of beach litter, we know which categories of litter are found on our beaches. The monitoring has clearly identified waste categories originating from construction, such as input wires and insulation, but construction waste also includes cigarette butts, packaging and disposable containers. The origin of the garbage is often not traceable, nor is it necessary, because it is not relevant. Garbage from any source does not belong in the environment.
Reducing waste requires thinking about your own habits
Reducing littering starts with each of us. We can think about where and how the work steps that cause garbage are performed, how the packages are unpacked and how the waste is stored. The waste generated on construction sites varies depending on the construction phase. That is why thinking and reacting must be done all the time.
Participating in the Tiisti raksa cleaning events coordinated by RT illustrates what kind of garbage and how much ends up in the environment. Even a shorter collection time is useful. I really hope that the cleaning arms will be permanently used in the construction industry.
Cigarette butts are the most common litter found on Finnish beaches. Every construction site and factory should take care of waste management. If fixed smoking points don't seem like the best solutions, pocket ashtrays allow you to smoke properly in varying places. In addition to tumps, also for other so-called waste management must be considered for everyday garbage. Especially when it's hot, it takes a lot to drink, and coffee and tea are delicious all year round. It is necessary to agree together how to use bottles, cans and disposable cups and where to put them when they are empty.
However, not all construction, repair or maintenance takes place on a closed construction site that has its own waste management. Operator-specific solutions must be developed for mobile work. Prevention of littering requires solutions that work in real life. Therefore, practices must be developed together with employees.
A cozy environment repels litter
We know that next to the already existing garbage, a second and third one will easily appear. A clean and comfortable environment repels litter, while an already littered and untidy environment attracts it. If the inside of the construction site fence looks littered, even a passerby's litter will easily fall to the ground. That's why it's important that we prevent the first litter from falling, and clean up the visible litter quickly. The waste management plan should also include the handling of garbage around the construction site.
A clean roof is also a safety measure. Packaging materials left scattered can lead to tripping, and in addition, they may end up as waste instead of recycling. Let's take care together that there are no signs of the work done in the environment in the form of cigarette butts, coffee mugs or installation garbage in any kind of locations.
Tuuli Kunnas
standardization manager, product manager
Confederation of Finnish Construction Industries (CFCI)
See instructions and tips to reduce littering on the Tii raksa page of Construction Industry
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