Circular economy thinking is often framed as an environmental initiative, but at SRC Group we also see commercial benefits on construction projects every day. Materials that might otherwise leave sites as waste can often be recovered and returned to use; reducing disposal requirements whilst also lowering the number of new materials that need to be brought on-site. This helps to cut waste management costs.
It’s an approach that’s central to the way in which we operate across our demolition, earthworks, waste management, recycling and construction operations. Applying the same principle at project-level can often help to cut waste management costs for our clients, particularly when decisions around excavation, segregation, recovery and material specification are made early enough.
One of the first questions that the team consider when planning demolition or bulk earthworks, is what materials the project is likely to generate and what can realistically happen to them afterwards. Concrete, soils and other construction materials don’t necessarily need to be treated in the same way. Understanding the different material types, as well as the rough quantities, can give the SRC team a much better idea of the eventual waste management cost.
It also means that the recovery routes can be identified before materials start leaving the site, which can be particularly important on demolition projects, where things like contamination, mixed waste streams and unexpected material volumes can quickly increase disposal costs if they haven’t been considered beforehand.
Waste management is often treated as a cost to deal with once the wider project has already been planned, which can mean that any opportunities to reduce the cost have already been missed. Involving an end-to-end waste, recycling and construction firm such as SRC Group, into the conversation during procurement, can give you the chance to the project holistically before the programmes and budgets are fixed.
Circular economy principles aren’t only about reducing what leaves a site; the materials being purchased for the project should also form part of the conversation, particularly where recycled alternatives can meet the required specification.
SRC supplies recycled aggregates for a wide range of construction applications, giving our contractors an alternative to relying solely on primary materials. Considering these products during procurement means that their suitability and cost can be assessed alongside other options before orders are placed, rather than trying to introduce an alternative once work is underway.
Each year at SRC, we produce more than 1.2 million tonnes of recycled products; a figure that is continually moving upwards. Our recycled aggregates, sands, sub-base, clay, topsoil and subsoil are also covered by an independently-verified Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). This gives project teams access to clear environmental performance data when making material choices; making it easier to satisfy BREEAM, LEED or client sustainability requirements without extra work further down the line.
Keeping accurate records of the materials that are leaving your site can give a much clearer picture of whether actual waste volumes and costs are matching what was allowed for during procurement. On longer projects in particular, increases in collections or changes in the type of waste that’s being removed can gradually push costs beyond the original budget, so reviewing this information as work progresses gives you an opportunity to address any issues before they become a significant overspend.
Waste tracking is also becoming increasingly important from a compliance perspective. From October 2026, permitted and licensed waste receiving sites in England will be required to record the controlled waste that they receive through the government’s new Digital Waste Tracking service, with mandatory requirements for waste collectors planned from October 2027.
For contractors this makes having clear information about what is leaving a site, where it’s going and who is handling it increasingly important. Working with an experienced and licensed waste management partner like SRC can help to maintain that visibility.
Material coming into and leaving a busy construction site needs to be planned alongside the rest of the programme. Poorly-timed collections could mean that ready mix concrete lorries are occupying valuable space for longer than necessary, with deliveries arriving before they’re needed; creating additional storage and handling requirements.
At SRC we provide a full turnkey service via SRC Build, and our muck away, haulage and aggregate supply solutions can be planned around our clients’ wider programme, which is particularly useful where access or delivery windows are restricted.
Where appropriate, planning these movements together can also create opportunities to avoid vehicles travelling unnecessarily empty; helping to make site logistics more environmentally-friendly.
Using separate contractors for each stage of a build can mean multiple bookings and invoices; making it harder to see how costs in one area are affecting another.
At SRC Group, waste removal and material requirements are considered together rather than as completely separate entities. For contractors, this can simplify coordination and provide better visibility over costs as the programme develops. It also means that conversations around replacement products can happen when there’s still an opportunity to influence the way that the work is planned.
In many of the projects that we see at SRC, the biggest opportunities to control waste management costs come from decisions that are being made during the procurement and planning stage; from how excavation volumes are managed to when collections are booked and which new materials are specified. Bringing those conversations together earlier can identify unnecessary costs before they become part of the job.
If you’re planning an upcoming project, get in touch with SRC Group to discuss your requirements, we’d be happy to help.
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