ABSTRACT
The UK construction industry consumes the equivalent of six tonnes per person each year. In the USA it is nearer ten tonnes. It is estimated that the total annual waste created in the construction and demolition stages in the UK 72 million tonnes. It is accepted by many working in the environmental field that by 2050 the consumption should be only 25 per cent of current use (known as Factor 4), and some even argue that it should only be 5 per cent (Factor 20). A significant contribution to this target can be achieved in the construction industry by significantly reducing waste, both at the manufacturing and construction stages, and developing ways of recycling the materials used in buildings and infrastructure when coming to the end of their useful life.
