Advocacy Plan on Waste Management in the Construction Industry

Figure 01, Waste Pollution in the Construction Industry (rvgomeseria)

Preface

Environmental advocacy is a term imposed by everyone who is concerned and loves the environment whereas opposing the oligarch programs and activities that have been molested the entire archipelago, like in the Philippines and thus, the Filipinos have suffered from it. Moreover, as Professional Engineer (PE/PEng/PME) and a Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv), the author can say, if you love yourself and God-fearing, of course, you will not do the same as you have observed in the environment but to have some sort that will provide and protect the situation in the modern era.

The good thing with Environmental Advocacy is to have new wisdom that solidifies my advocacy as an environmental advocate. But in spite of the teaching in the case of our subject, I have already my advocacy plan which I am practicing in the construction industry as Project Consultant as well as preparing documents towards environmental concern in the prevention of injuries and safety precautions in the construction site.

Reflections and Learning

Environmental Advocates using social media can help in the construction site implementation towards an advocacy plan for accuracy and scientific means, which everyone involved in the project, can join and participate in line to an advocacy plan. The value of environmental technology, and with the advocacy plan, the author developed that can be used in mitigating climate change through waste management and even the topic is in the construction industry, this will help not only in Qatar but with the Climate Change happening now relevant to human activities. Furthermore, the ideas of environmental advocacy and the learning process earned will continually propagate in protecting the environment. The advocacy plan whereas the author developed can be used as a reference for the next generation, and yet, as one of those environmental advocates, the author will do what needs to be done in helping the context for the next generation, and with the subject concerned gave me an environmental inspiration whereabouts especially in the construction environment (Figure 01).

Figure 02, Lao Tzu’s Quote (anonymous)

Issue and Problem

In the construction industry, since the author involved working as an Engineer even, since in the Philippines, and until here in Qatar, the typical environmental problem that I am always experiencing is about waste and disposal in the construction site. From then becomes my advocacy on how to deal with, and as an Environmental Advocates, I did not tolerate any forms of activities that will suffer humiliation within the construction site facility but proper waste management to have peace of mind. I always ask any contractors involved in the project on how to secure and maintain cleanliness ensuring the safety of every worker on site. Since I am one of those concerned in the environment and working in the construction industry, my advocacy will always deal on waste management, which in turn, have been developed the advocacy plan on waste management of the procedural on how to mitigate and maintain the cleanliness in order and the sustainable environment in the construction field. However, ethically, Lao Tzu explained in Figure 02.

Stakeholder Analysis

Article 11 of the Decree-Law No. 30, 2002: The Issuance Law of Environmental Protection states that “…The Executive Regulations shall determine the procedures for the environmental impact assessment and the conditions of issuing the environmental license for projects…”. In addition, Article 12 of the Decree-Law No. 30, 2002 states that “Public and private development plans and projects of whatever kind, on whatever site, including industrial, agricultural and constructional projects, shall be presented to the Council. All these projects shall be submitted when they are planned, and prior to their execution, in order to be reviewed and evaluated. This is to ensure that they are in compliance with the scientific and practical methods of proper environmental planning according to the standards, specification, basis, and rules referred to in the preceding Article.”

In my experiences and being involved in the construction environment, it is mandated in this country that all projects within Qatar require an environmental license, which is referring to as an Environmental Permit prior to construction and operation from the Ministry of Environment (MoE), MMUP (Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning) or to the Environmental Agency.

Purpose

As an experienced Building and Construction Engineer and as an Environmental Advocates, my advocacy plan is to apply within the construction industry to sustain and maintain a sustainable environment from the start to finish of the project. The purpose of the Advocacy Plan on Waste Management is to develop with practical and effective procedures and control measures that allow for the appropriate handling, storage, disposal and treatment of waste, and to reduce the environmental footprint within the Project construction activities. However, this plan shall be achieved through the meeting of the following objectives within the construction environment as follows: 1) Ensuring compliance with the relevant statutory regulations, environmental standards, and best practice guidelines; and 2) Reduce the potential environmental impacts of the construction works which is identified through the implementation with the best practice in mitigating measures.

Scope and Strategy

The Advocacy Plan on Waste Management procedure as stated hereof will cover the waste management requirements that every contractor involved is required to undertake during the construction works. The Procedures have been provided in the prevention in the anticipated construction activities on both building and infrastructure development.  The advocacy plan will be based on the environmental review aspects and impacts, which will be the next potential of the significant effects as identified with the following considerations: 1) Soil, marine, and groundwater contamination; 2) Visual intrusion; 3) Odor emissions; 4) Landfill exhaustion; and 5) Pest infestation and thus disease propagation.

The Advocacy Plan, therefore, will cover the following key in the construction activities as such: 1) Site preparation and excavation activities; 2) Material handling and storage; 3) Waste storage and management; 4) Vehicle use, maintenance, and re-fuelling; 5) Substructure construction activities; 6) Superstructure construction activities.

However, it is the Contractor’s responsibility to demonstrate its activities whereas covered in the Advocacy Plan through waste controls stipulated in this Procedure. Additionally, if they are not mentioned, the Contractor is obliged to take all necessary precautions to ensure no damage in the environment occurs as a result of the handling of hazardous substances. Though, this is to be undertaken through the preparation of waste controls for the works which will facilitate compliance with the relevant standards. The Advocacy Plan Compliance will need to be demonstrated to the key stakeholders, including the MoE (Qatar Ministry of Environment), the environmental consultant and client management.

Principally, this is to determine if the wastes generated in the construction activities are effectively managed and disposed of. However, environmental audits, inspections, and tracking will be undertaken. These are covered in the Environmental Auditing and Inspection Procedure and Environmental Monitoring Procedure referenced below.

Collaboration on Waste Management Procedures

The preparation procedures are to appropriately segregate, store, handle and dispose of all materials and waste streams anticipated during the construction works will be considered within this Waste Management Procedure. The contractors must determine the exact location of the temporary/long-term storage and disposal sites for chemicals, paint cans, or different wastes and approved by the MoE (Qatar Ministry of Environment) before commencing any work.

To ensure that this will be carried out effectively with the Waste Management Procedure for providing controls for the followings: 1) Proposes a minimization/collection/storage/treatment/re-use/disposal route for each waste stream and identifies potential third party re-users; 2) Enforces the selection of appropriate locations of landfills or long-term storage sites for waste; and 3) States the method to properly manage all wastes like for example are through training, storage, containerization, labeling, transporting and disposal.

Collaboration on Waste Management Best Practice (by experienced)

In practice and my experience, the best way to manage waste is to avoid generating them or multiplies in the vicinity. In some situations to the fact that the generation of waste is unavoidable, however, the guiding principles and the philosophy in this advocacy plan, it is the Contractor that needs to drive towards the reduction in waste generation, reclamation of waste (this will be done through identification, management, and segregation) and either reuse, recovery or recycling of waste and resiliency. 

The Contractor will need to have the Environmental Monitoring Procedure to maintain a record of waste materials transferred from the construction site via Waste Transfer Notes (WTN). These WTNs will mandatorily record the time, date, quantity, type and destination of all wastes. Perhaps, recording of these activities must be maintained at the construction site.

As part of the Advocacy Plan, which I need to consider in the implementation has been categorized and the following is a brief overview of some of the guiding principles of waste management best practice that can be used in the construction site as follows;

Figure 03, Waste Hierarchy Model (Reference; MoE)

Waste Hierarchy Channels

The waste hierarchy is the fundamental guiding principle for a more sustainable approach to waste management which details the process for minimizing the generation of waste. The figure below will represent a chain of priority for waste management from the ideal of prevention and reduction to the last resort of disposal within the construction premises to maintain order and strict discipline. The waste hierarchy, whereas shown in Figure 03 above, is self-explanatory to understand the intent of this Advocacy Plan on Waste Management.

Wherever there are options to prevent or reduce waste should be considered primarily in maintaining order in the construction site. However, where waste cannot be avoided or further reduced at source, the materials can be reused, and this will be done either with the same or with a different purpose. For instance, in failing to obtain the procedure, the material should be recovered and recycled into new materials that can be reused in the construction site. Finally, whatever might be, the waste can be incinerated with energy recovery. But the disposal to landfill is the least favored option in the waste hierarchy and is the last option to consider after all other options have been studied and found otherwise.

Waste Streams

Based on the studies and years of experiences in the construction industries, however, the waste is generated during the construction activities can be separated into two distinct categories with the accompanying definitions to understand as part of the Advocacy Plan as follows: 1) Hazardous waste, which can be defined as the “waste which is dangerous or difficult to store, treat, transport or dispose of, and may contain substances which are corrosive, toxic, reactive, carcinogenic, infectious, irritant, or otherwise harmful to human health and which may be toxic to the environment.” and 2) Non-hazardous waste, which can be defined as the “All waste that cannot be classified as hazardous waste.”

Non-Hazardous Waste

In practice, usually in the construction site, you can find this stream of solid waste includes for example of broken concrete, scrap steel and metals, broken wooden pallets, kitchen/office rubbish, cardboard, broken piping, broken masonry blocks and glass as part of the non-hazardous waste. Before disposal, however, these waste streams can be managed more extensively than hazardous waste. The purpose is to reduce the amount of being disposed of using landfills. The process is minimizing the amount of waste to be stored and disposed of which protects the environment. Herewith are the procedures in waste minimization as part of this advocacy plan that everyone must know that needs to be done in securing the environment sustainably.

Procedures for Non-Hazardous Waste Minimization

Waste Reduction

• Where possible, materials will be ordered in bulk, to reduce and minimize packaging. 
• To the greatest extent practicable, excavated materials will be reused in filling operations or in other processes. 
• The suppliers will be requested to use minimal packaging for sustainable methods. 
• With the use of disposable materials such as plastic cups and batteries will be avoided.

Material Re-use

• Where possible, the construction materials will need to be re-used, and for example, using wooden pallets and other packaging materials for creating signs that can be re-used or in any form. 
• The reports will need to be printed on the double side and the paper will be re-used where possible; and for example, using the printing rough drafts on the bright side of used paper sheets, thus saving trees.

Recycling

• The plastic drums, empty plastic bottles, scrap metal, batteries, and waste paper will need to be segregated within the construction site and sent to an appropriate recycling facility that can be used in other forms sustainably. 
• Furthermore, it is required that the contractor must obtain a list of subcontractors from the MoE or from the Environmental Agency who specializes in collecting and recycling the following materials in making sure that they can be used in other forms sustainably. Some of the following as such; 1) Paper, 2) Plastics, 3) Toners, 4) Cans (Steel & Aluminum), 5) Batteries, and 6) Glass.

Hazardous Waste

In the construction site, hazardous waste can’t be denied whereas part of it. However, the hazardous waste will need to be transported off-site, must be treated, stored and disposed of by an approved Urban Planning service provider or to the Municipality approved disposal site for appropriate disposal.

The hazardous wastes have been produced during the Project construction which has been further divided within the level of Control based on the levels of treatment of the dangerous materials that usually receive on the construction site such as 1) Hazardous Construction Wastes, chemicals; and 2) Sanitary Waste (human waste).

Hazardous Construction Wastes

To make it clear, the hazardous construction wastes that can be found include; oil and lubricants, paint, cans and chemical, diesel and paint small drums, and filters. However, this category of waste cannot be re-used but minimization procedures of some hazardous items such as empty paint/oil cans may be implemented as detailed below.

Procedures for Hazardous Waste Minimization

Waste Minimization

• All recyclable hazardous materials and chemicals, including waste oils, are collected for recycling by MoE or an Environmental Agency approved Service Provider. 
• When mixing or diluting chemicals must be ensured that the correct amounts of chemicals are being used so that the environment will not be spoiled. 
• Appropriate storage of hazardous materials is necessary for the construction site to ensure that they are not spilled in the area or contaminated and thus rendered unusable. 
• Suppliers are requested to use minimal packaging strategy to prevent using plastic. 
• Chemicals will be ordered in returnable drums that can be recycled. 
• “Buy-back” arrangements will be made with the key suppliers, so that will ensure that any surplus chemicals or materials can be returned. 
• Refillable containers must be used as much as possible, for the collection of waste fluids such as waste oil, hydraulic oils, and the used grease in the construction site. 
• Filter systems on all engines will be changed regularly.

Sanitary Waste

In practice, Sanitary Waste can be defined as is composed of sewage and run-off from the kitchen / the washbasins produced during the construction works. However, this category of waste cannot be re-used but can be limited in minimization procedures that may be implemented to reduce run-off from the kitchen and washbasins.

Procedures to Minimize Kitchen and Wash Basin Runoff

Waste Minimization

• Placing hippo, or brick, in the toilet cistern, will reduce the amount of water passed through with each flush. 
• Using signs/posters in the toilets and the kitchens will increase awareness about the amount of water used as well as ensuring the limitation of use. 
• Using signs/posters in the toilets and the kitchens will increase awareness ensuring that no inappropriate chemicals are being disposed of within the toilets they used. 
• Using signs/posters in the toilets and the kitchens will increase awareness about the amount of detergent required ensuring the limitation of use.

The sanitary waste shall be collected in the septic tanks located within the construction site. However, the portable toilets will be provided for the employees across the construction site and in the office accommodation on site. The sanitary waste would then be tankered by MoE and MMUP, or the Environmental Agency approved Service Providers.

The septic tanks will allow for the anaerobic decomposition of the sludge, and the residual slurry can be pumped out and disposed of in sludge drying facilities of the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP). And through the STP, the TSE (Treated Sewage Effluent) can be used in the landscape irrigation in the country’s public parks in a sustainable manner.

Portable Toilet and Septic Tank Control Measures

• The Septic Tanks and the Portable Toilets are controlled and maintained by the contractor in the construction site which shall meet the approval of MoE. 
• The Septic Tanks and the Portable Toilets must have the storage capacities capable of coping with all the staff in utilizing the construction site facilities. 
• Inspection for the leaks should be undertaken on a regular basis and the leaks ceased to have to be reported immediately.

Following the completion of the construction works, the portable toilets and septic tanks will need to be decommissioned. However, in the event of dismantling, the contractor shall make sure that the appropriate management measures are being implemented to eliminate whatever potential of future contamination. These measures are being detailed below in order to make sure that the idea and purpose of this advocacy plan will be implemented accurately in a sustainable manner.

Portable Toilet and Septic Tank Decommissioning Control Measures

• Any known of the suspected contamination sites have to be identified, monitored if appropriate and remediate before the decommissioning. 
• The removal of the storage tanks has to take place after systems that have been fully decanted and cleaned. However, under no circumstances should these systems be removed prior to the removal of potentially contaminated substances which can be done. 
• Water used to clean tanks must be disposed of along with the septic waste.

Waste Storage and Disposal Schedules

The improper storage, handling, and disposal of Project wastes could potentially impact soils and groundwater quality, thereby violating environmental regulations. Without exception that all hazardous material must either be treated where appropriate or be moved offsite immediately to avoid contamination from the construction site. Moreover, this will applies to all hazardous and non-hazardous wastes unless stated otherwise.

The rubbish materials will be collected, stored and disposed of in the construction site skips. However, the construction site shall also temporarily hold recyclable materials. These storage sites will have to be well organized and segregated into different types of wastes, ensuring that the recyclable waste is not disposed of along with the ‘rubbish’ materials. All temporary long-term storage sites for garbage and materials will be at a minimum, stored at a reasonable distance from sensitive construction sites, such as drainage channels, offices, public and residential areas, and the public highways.

The vehicles used for the transportation of any waste shall not be used to transport materials such as soil and rock unless cleaned before reuse and approved.

Data Collection, Analysis, and Documentation

As part of this Advocacy Plan, the following documentation will be required to be prepared for record and tracking purposes within the construction site activities as follows: 1) Waste Transfer Notes, 2) Waste Register, 3) Environmental Inspection Record, 4) Weekly Inspection Records and 5) Quarterly External Audit Reports. 

 

Thus, this documentation will be treated as a record during environmental audits and inspections. Additionally, this prepared documentation will be and remain legible, identifiable and traceable. Furthermore, this ready documentation will be kept up to date and maintained at the construction site offices. All prepared documents are needed to be submitted to the Client Management or the Client Representative for all the activities and development in the construction site.

Responsibility, Monitoring, and Implementation

The Contractor’s Project Manager is ultimately responsible for ensuring all waste controls are implemented on the construction site. He will submit many copies of all reports made then to the stakeholders concerned in the construction site program.

The respective HSE Officer will be responsible for the Environmental Management Plan Induction, which will lead and highlight of the waste management requirements during the project construction activities.

The HSE Officer will be responsible for weekly environmental inspections and monitoring of the site, which will include waste management procedures in maintaining order.

Again, the Contractor will be responsible for employing an approved Environmental Service Provider in the construction project site/s, which will be in coordination with the MoE (Ministry of Environment) and the MMUP (Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning) or to the Environmental Agency, to collect and dispose of hazardous waste materials from the construction site. Thereby, the Contractor will be responsible for ensuring that WTNs is completed, and the Waste Register is maintained. The WTNs (Waste Transfer Notes) and the waste register will have to be issued to the Contractor concerned and to the Client Management or the Client Representative.

The Client Management or to the Client Representative will be responsible for appointing an External Auditor to undertake quarterly environmental inspections of the Contractor and ensuring this Procedure is being implemented as part of the Advocacy Plan, which needs to be maintained sustainably.

Statement of Authorship

The author has developed and conducted all necessary literature research in completing this article composition with the prepared conceptual framework, identifying thematic points on all cases, formulated recommendations, and undertook the write-up as a part-time work to complete this paper.

Acknowledgment

I would like to thank you, Prof/Dr. Joane Serrano, Ph.D. (University of the Philippines – Los Banos), in spite of hardship between my works, and difficulties I am facing. However, you are there in giving us motivation in pursuing the Environment and Natural Resources Management Environmental Advocacy course subject that gave me inspiration.

Even I am confused and struggle with how to do it, but with the motivation provided had given me an idea to compose this article paper, anyway, I am sorry, but this is my life as an OFW, too hard!

Additionally, I dedicate these works to my beloved wife (Jennifer VA), my beloved daughters, and sons (Weng, Aje, Jenjen. Jonjon and Rheion), who cheer and inspired me every time I am down with frustrations, and most especially is to my God, who gave me wisdom and protecting me all the time (I owe my life to him.).

Thank you, and Happy Reading!

God Bless!

Ronald Valledor Gomeseria

University of the Philippines

UP STD NO 2011-82336

Write-Up References can be Read from this Links;

Gomeseria, RV; (2020, January); "Advocacy Plan on Waste Management in the Construction Industry;” Retrieved from; https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338584375_Advocacy_Plan_on_Waste_Management_in_the_Construction_Industry

https://www.academia.edu/41627323/_Advocacy_Plan_on_Waste_Management_in_the_Construction_Industry_