Circular Economy
Circular Economy
Circular Economy
Circular Economy
A vision for Ireland’s Future
The construction sector is steadily becoming more progressive in reducing waste and re-using building materials in a drive to contribute towards Ireland’s growing circular economy – which aims to ensure the use of fewer resources and the prevention of waste to achieve sustainable economic growth.
The circular economy model has been a key objective of EU and national waste policies over the past decade. Previously, waste management systems and supply chains operated on a “reduce, reuse, recycle” linear economy model, without actually “closing the circle” to prevent or minimise waste.
Growing awareness of both cost and environmental benefits of the circular model have led however to an ongoing change, and Walshestown Restoration is committed to further progressing this change.
‘The circular economy aims to reduce waste at all stages of the economic cycle and ensure materials are used as efficiently as possible. Waste prevention, a central concept of the circular economy, challenges us to review our existing design, production, distribution and consumption of products. This will move us from the current linear model of Take > Make > Use > Dispose to a more efficient and low-carbon economy.’
Environmental Protection Agency
Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy
The EPA reports that 8.8 million tonnes of C&D (construction and demolition) waste was generated and collected in Ireland in the most recent year for which data is available. Excavated soil and stone was the largest element of this waste, at approximately 85% (up from 77% just two years previously). The remainder includes concrete, brick, tiles, gypsum waste, metal, glass, wood, plastic and metal.
82% of the waste was backfilled, with 10% going for disposal and only 7% being recycled. This represents a huge cost and loss of value to the construction sector as well as resulting in significant volumes of avoidable waste.
Improvements in C&D waste management practices can also offer many opportunities in terms of reduced environmental and financial costs to the industry and to society.
‘For a circular economy it is essential to recycle materials from waste in order ‘to close the loop’. The recovery of energy from waste also plays an important role. Waste disposal should be phased out and, where it is unavoidable, it must be adequately controlled to be safe for human health and the environment.’
European Commission – EU Science Hub
Walshestown and the Circular Economy
Walshestown Restoration contributes to the circular economy by accepting construction and demolition waste, processing it, and recovering it into a recycled aggregate for re-use in the construction sector.
Our process is so efficient that the trucks delivering the waste can also collect the recycled product and return it to a construction site. This brings a double benefit :
‘The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy is Ireland’s new roadmap for waste planning and management. We need to embed climate action in all strands of public policy. This Plan shifts focus away from waste disposal and looks instead to how we can preserve resources by creating a circular economy.’
The Department of Foreign Affairs
‘The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy is Ireland’s new roadmap for waste planning and management. We need to embed climate action in all strands of public policy. This Plan shifts focus away from waste disposal and looks instead to how we can preserve resources by creating a circular economy.’
The Department of Foreign Affairs
Building a More Sustainable Ireland
Ireland has committed to the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to fully achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by the end of this decade.
This can be achieved through integrating sustainable policies into all aspects of our society and economy, including in the construction and demolition sectors. While fully adopting a circular economy requires significant shifts in our practices, Walshestown Restoration is committed to helping the sector achieve this, for the benefit of both the industry itself and the country as a whole.
Our services and solutions can help Ireland to meet its goals, and we continue to operate the principles of sustainability and circularity in all we do.