La muralla del Barrio Oeste.

The construction industry accounts for approximately 40 per cent of waste in the Netherlands, and is thereby the largest contributor. We are fully aware of the need for us to do something about the situation. Even with more than 70 per cent of construction industry waste being recycled in treatment plants, the subject is still high on our CSR agenda.

Policy

Our policy aims to eliminate waste with no negative impact on the environment or the community. This policy also avoids unnecessary costs. We adopt two approaches.

1. Quantitative. We are systematically reducing the quantity of waste at source by raising material productivity. In this way we prevent waste by improving processes and innovating. 2. Qualitative. We are reducing the adverse effects of waste

and avoiding resource depletion by using renewable and secondary materials. We combat pollution by using degradable and reusable materials and optimizing waste management procedures.

Results for 2011

The practical side of Ballast Nedam’s waste and recycling policy is a dynamic area. We segregate waste on large construction projects, also as a way of controlling processing costs, but not yet in a sufficiently systematic way. We always segregate domestic waste, paper, board and household chemicals on collection, but there is much room for improvement in other waste streams. Needless to say, dangerous goods are discharged and processed separately, in accordance with legislation.

Several internal studies into the origins of waste, both on construction sites and our own and our suppliers’ plants that completed in the past year pointed to potential financial and operational improvements and opportunities to increase sustainability.

We set up a central waste & recycling working group in 2011 with a view to pooling and sharing knowledge and establishing effective implementation measures. The working group’s approach to waste is broad and comprehensive, also viewing it as a consequence of decisions earlier in the chain. This approach allows us to intervene appropriately at many points in the chain, with both

quantitative and qualitative measures in the design, construction and end-of-life phases. A variety of plans may be involved, ranging from reusable modular building concepts in the design phase, to waste management plans in construction with optimized logistics and inventory. This planning necessarily involves our chain partners: the suppliers and waste processors.

Any waste that is still produced is recycled as usefully as possible, and preferably within Ballast Nedam. We already practice recycling in soil and gravel excavation work, the processing of waste power plant ash, asphalt and hardcore. If we cannot recycle we rely on our waste processors, who transform the waste streams on a large scale into new raw materials (see table).

Protection of species, habitats, biodiversity and nature conservation areas

Ballast Nedam devotes much time and care to preventing any direct or indirect negative impact on forests and natural assets. We take these aspects into consideration both when drawing up and executing our project plans. If this approach is impossible, we take mitigating and compensating measures instead. When we are unable to avoid harming the habitats of protected plant and animal species, we create alternatives elsewhere, and if possible we improve on them and make them more extensive. The criterion we observe is to ensure no net loss of natural assets, forest, or landscape values.

In support of this policy we adhere to the Flora and Fauna Code of Conduct. This brings part of the responsibility for protecting species and habitats within projects. We request dispensation under the Flora and Fauna Act where the species concerned is strictly protected. We investigate for each project any ecological networks that have planning protection. We also take land-use plans into consideration. We use the data we collect for project- based habitat assessments and compensation plans. We continued redeveloping part of the former Bichterweerd gravel extraction site in 2011. Part of the redevelopment was to plant one thousand black poplars: a native tree variety that has declined over the past century. The planting of new trees gives a major boost to the spread of the original species in the Maas valley. The resulting softwood lowland floodplain forest is also expected to improve both air quality and biodiversity. For instance, the golden oriole may become more common in this area. We took 80 hectares of new nature conservation area into use in 2011.

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nnual repor

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A herd of Galloways and a young black poplar plantation in the nature conservation area in the Maas river valley with the Bichterweerd installation in the background.

Waste stream Tons Processing in %

Treatment Result

Construction and demolition waste

5,365.829 80 Recycling and

sorting

Reusable streams

  20 Incineration Energy recovery

Hardcore 3,564.630 100 Throughput by

product

Crushed demolition waste

Waste wood, B grade 786.270 100 Throughput by

product

Wood chips

Industrial waste 392.194 38 Throughput by

product

ICOPOWER pellets

  62 Incineration Energy recovery

Soil 188.100 100 Cleaning and

reusing

Green waste 114.200 100 Composting Compost and green energy

Sheet glass 87.400 100 Recycling  

Paper/board 73.904 100 Recycling  

Waste wood, A grade 45.600 100 Throughput by

product

Wood chips

Waste wood, C grade 26.820 100 Incineration Energy recovery

Synthetics, miscellaneous 24.338 100 Recycling  

Other waste streams (minor hazardous waste) 22.163 100 Various treatments   Iron 21.460 100 Recycling   Gypsum 8.800 100 Recycling  

Roofing waste 2.460 100 Landfill  

Total 2011 10,724.168   Degree of

segregation

50%

Total 2010 13,280.000   44%

Total 2009 16,849.000   30%

The table gives the waste streams collected by our regular partner in 2011. Unfortunately, the table does not present a complete picture of the total quantity of waste. As was the case last year, the total quantity of registered waste decreased again this year, partly because there was less construction activity.

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The degree of segregation improved again last year. Whereas in 2009 only 30 per cent of construction and demolition waste was segregated, the figure had risen to 50 per cent in 2011. We intend to continue this favourable trend in the coming years. There is additional information on this subject in the objectives for 2012.

Objectives for 2012

To generate unambiguous and quantifiable information about the waste streams that arise throughout Ballast Nedam (building, infrastructure and supplies).

To develop active measures for better waste reduction and segregation throughout Ballast Nedam and the chains the group is part of.

We are aware – especially in projects – that the degree of organization determines how well we can limit the flow of waste. We will draw up waste management plans in 2012 for all large projects and for the processes of the specialized and supply companies. The plans will raise awareness among project managers and building site workers. The clear measures we communicate promote less waste and greater awareness of the use of materials. We are also encouraging management on waste quality and quantity right from the design phase of projects. We will continue to improve our understanding of the waste streams that are created within our group and the projects.