RISK – Avoidable resource consumption leading to increased environmental impacts and costs
Document how you will do this within the environmental/sustainability management system for the workplace.
- The John Holland environmental/sustainability management system is designed to measure and encourage reductions in resource use throughout the life of the operations.
- Projects should identify significant energy, material, waste and water uses, and assess initiatives to reduce consumption and costs.
- All projects are required to implement the waste hierarchy during work planning.
- Selection of products, services and materials with a lower environmental impact should form part of the supplier/subcontractor selection and design processes.
- Projects should target materials, activities and facilities with the highest environmental impacts, such as high energy and water use, when considering lower impact opportunities and substitutions.
- Projects should explore alternative or renewable energy sources on-site (e.g. biodiesel/renewables).
- Usage data from fuel, energy and water bills can assist in identifying equipment and periods of increased consumption.
- Products and materials with Eco-labels or Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) provide specific details about their manufacture and environmental impact.
- Controls to minimise water use typically restrict flow or facilitate reuse within a closed system.
- These devices can include vehicle wash water reclaim units and water-efficient industrial cleaning equipment.
- Reduction in potable water use could be achieved through:
- non-potable water sources for construction (e.g. sediment basins, treated construction or greywater)
- water flow restrictors
- Use of rainwater tanks for flushing at site sheds
- sprung taps
- waterless urinals
- Energy efficiency devices should be considered to optimise costs associated with fuel and/or energy.
- Examples include solar panels and batteries to power site facilities or plant, hybrid equipment and smart metering.
- Projects and Workplaces can maximise any potential cost recovery by identifying waste requirements (for example separate bins for scrap metal, waste concrete, reusable packaging) and segregating material prior to collection, reducing the need for further segregation off site.
- Potential cost recovery can be maximised by selecting a contractor listed on the John Holland Scrap Metal Recycling Services Panel.
- All workplaces must implement a waste and recycling program prior to starting work.
- This program should include options to recycle construction and demolition waste, paper, cardboard, electronics, printer cartridges, fluorescent lights, glass, plastic and batteries. Where recycling services for these materials are not available, such as remote locations, an assessment should be conducted to identify alternative recycling and reuse options and document efforts made to divert this waste from landfill.
- Workplaces are required to capture material and fuel use on a monthly basis from subcontractors and upload records into PPW or similar system.
Related GMRs
Related Procedures / Forms
Environment Planning Procedure