A Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) is a regulation that came into force in April 2008 which affects any construction project in England costing over £300,000. Under this law, such building projects now need a SWMP kept on site at all times. Construction projects affected include:
- new builds
- maintenance
- alteration or installation/removal of services such as sewerage, water
A SWMP is a live document that details the amount and type of construction waste produced on a construction site and how it will be re-used, recycled or disposed of; it also holds all relevant permits required for the site. A SWMP must be updated throughout the course of the project.
SWMPs are an important tool for improving environmental performance, meeting regulatory controls (in England) and reducing the rising costs of disposing of construction waste. They ensure that building materials are managed efficiently, that waste is disposed of legally, and material recycling, re-use and recovery is maximised – overall, making a construction project more efficient, whilst reducing its environmental impact.
Failure to comply with this regulation is an offence, and the body responsible for the SWMP may face legal action.
Envirowise and WRAP are committed to supporting the construction industry by promoting the benefits of SWMPs through a series of workshops at regional level. For further information and dates, please see your regional Envirowise 'events' pages.
WRAP has also developed a SWMP template to aid construction project managers to create a SWMP, whilst helping identify 'good and best practice' techniques.
Useful and further information links:
Wrap website
NetRegs website