The construction industry actually has a huge amount of material waste, but people just turn a blind eye to it, don't they?

Hello, everyone.

This is Enta.

You all know about the SDGs, right?

sdg_poster_ja_2021

What do you think?

Just starting off like this might make it sound a bit critical, lol.

 

Well, this is about one aspect of the SDGs, but,

In construction work, we use materials, don't we? (Obviously.)

Goal 12 includes the phrase “Responsibility to Produce, Responsibility to Consume.”

SDG 12

"The Responsibility to Create, the Responsibility to Use"That is,

It seems this goal is intended to establish a balance between sustainable production and consumption in order to protect the Earth's limited resources.

 

Some construction materials are recycled products, and we sometimes use them.

But in reality, most of them are practically brand-new, aren't they?

Well, even if that isn't a problem, it's what happens after that.

High-early-strength cement

If you have any leftover ingredients, you'll definitely throw them away, right?

To put it bluntly, if, for example, there are 50 bags of cement left over from a construction site in Aichi, it wouldn't be a good idea to use them at the construction site right next door in Gifu, would it?

Of course, since it can't be reused at the next job site, we'll either use it for private construction projects or give it to someone (transfer it).

 

Basically, materials other than those submitted to the government agency in the material approval application are not accepted.

Since it cannot be used,Also, on the grounds that quality cannot be guaranteed

I understand that it can't be used there.

But in reality, things like rebar mesh are made of metal, so they don't deteriorate that quickly—and the same goes for rebar, right?

Well, I'm sure you all know this already, but,SDGsEven though he says things like that...

 

I totally get that it's just a performance, but I couldn't help but think, "What's up with that?" lol

Conversely, what if the local government were to “certify” leftover materials so they could be used at the next construction site (within the prefecture only), or...

I guess it might be possible, but if that were the case, I suppose it would lead to issues like the winning bid price and other things...

On-Site Spray-Applied Formwork 300

I've always thought it would be great if we could find a way to reduce material waste, but given the nature of public works projects, it's quite difficult.

It’s the same at our place, but sometimes the general contractor just leaves materials they don’t know what to do with at the subcontractor’s site, right? lol

There are lots of things, like wooden frames, rebar, anchor pins, bark, fertilizer, and glue. (The subcontractors just nod along.)

I wonder if we'll have to spend money to dispose of it, or if we could repurpose it for another project...

If it's metal, you can get a little money for it, though~

 

In this situation, the general contractors might, for example, report on each other’s material status at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s weekly progress meetings and then leak that information to each other, lol.

It seems like it would be possible if it's related to construction on the same line within the same district, right? (Well, that's just wishful thinking, though.)

Wouldn't it be interesting if we could evaluate that based on the environmental initiatives of all general contractors?

(Let me know if you get the job, lol)

 

I think it would be fun if we could do something like that.

If you have any good ideas, please let me know.

I think there are things even we, as subcontractors, can help with ^^

 

See you later.

Here are three ways to minimize waste during spraying!

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