What Price Sustainability…?
Exclusive audio podcast by Terry Quarmby, president of the Institute of Demolition Engineers.
Terry Quarmby
Anyone with even the most tenuous link to the demolition business knows that demolition contractors are the undisputed world leaders in the recycling and reuse of materials, a fact that has put this industry at the very forefront of the drive for sustainability.
However, as this exclusive audio podcast reveals, this leadership comes at a cost.
What follows is the raw audio recording of a presentation by Terry Quarmby, president of the Institute of Demolition Engineers, in which he suggests that all is not rosy in the sustainability garden. In fact, Quarmby says:
- Architects and designers are undermining sustainability initiatives by an increasing use of non-recyclable, composite materials
- Demolition industry waste return figures are combined with those of the construction sector to help bolster the construction sector’s less-than-impressive statistics
- That the construction industry is unlikely to reach Government targets to reduce waste to landfill.
- The sustainability is being pursued at the cost of health and safety, forcing the demolition workforce back into more hazardous areas.
- That the growth in sustainability has been mirrored with a growth in on-site incidents and accidents
The following podcast runs for about 30 minutes but please try to find the time to listen to this either here or via iTunes.
Posted: August 8th, 2009 under Audio, General, People.
Tags: C&D waste, demolition, demolitionnews, recycling, sustainabiity, terry quarmby
Comments
Comment from Oliver James
Time August 9, 2009 at 11:52 am
Finally, someone has had the balls to question the “sustainability at any cost” rhetoric of the Government. As a demolition professional, my livelihood depends upon my ability to reclaim, reuse and resell supposedly waste materials. However, I am unwilling to do this if it is the the detrament of the health and safety of my workforce.
In my opinion, any furher improvements made by the demolition sector in this area will be just a drop in the ocean compared to the improvements that could be shown if the construction boys put their house in order.
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Time August 10, 2009 at 1:15 pm
[...] here to [...]
Pingback from What price sustainability? – Demolitionforum.com Forums
Time August 18, 2009 at 2:28 pm
[...] What price sustainability? Anyone with even a passing interest in the demolition business knows that demolition contractors are the undisputed world leaders in the recycling and reuse of materials, a fact that has put this industry at the very forefront of the drive for sustainability. However, as this exclusive audio podcast reveals, this leadership comes at a cost. What follows is the raw audio recording of a presentation by Terry Quarmby, president of the Institute of Demolition Engineers, in which he suggests that all is not rosy in the sustainability garden. In fact, Quarmby says: * Architects and designers are undermining sustainability initiatives by an increasing use of non-recyclable, composite materials * Demolition industry waste return figures are combined with those of the construction sector to help bolster the construction sector
Comment from john woodward
Time August 9, 2009 at 9:51 am
As always Terry hits the mark and is not afraid to stand up and be accountable. He speaks a great deal of sense and we hope that architects listen to make sustainabilty run hand in hand with a reduction in accidents.