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The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Richard Bruton TD today (Thursday) announced that guidelines for key sectors will be published in the coming weeks, so that enterprise can embed sustainability and climate action into their business, as they reopen after COVID-19. The Minister today published the first set of these guidelines aimed at supporting SMEs in the construction industry to embed sustainability as they re-open after COVID-19.
Minister Bruton said:
“The past few months have been extremely challenging for businesses. These guidelines will not only help enterprise to embed sustainability across their business, making them more resilient in the long-term, but will also be helpful in showing how to keep costs down which will be crucial over the coming period.”
The guidelines being published today will focus on the construction sector and will set out simple steps to help businesses save money by reducing water use, waste and energy, including:
Up to 80% of a project's profit can be lost due to poor waste management and up to 17% of profits can be lost due to poor energy use.
Minister Bruton said:
“We have an opportunity now to embed good practices that will help sustain our recovery and our environment into the future. The construction sector will be one of the key sectors in restarting our economy. The simple steps in this guide are designed to be easily adopted by builders big and small. Doing business in a sustainable way is an investment in all our futures.
"This approach will be a core part of the Waste and Circular Economy Action Plan, which will be published shortly."
The guides are being produced by the EPA as part of its National Waste Prevention Programme.
Director General of the EPA, Ms. Laura Burke said:
“As Ireland moves towards reopening society and business and the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, we are more conscious of the inextricable link between our health, the environment and the economy. What is clear is that while the COVID-19 crisis may have had a positive impact on the environment in the short term, long term improvements can only be achieved with targeted climate and environmental actions that change consumption and production systems in a sustainable and lasting manner. There is now a real opportunity to reset our consumption patterns such as removing unnecessary packaging; increasing recycling; and conserving water. The EPA provides supports to sustainable business practices which provide the opportunity for all businesses large and small to save costs whilst also demonstrating to their customers and clients their real commitment to Ireland’s environment."
The Minister has asked the EPA to engage directly with the Construction Industry Federation and other industry bodies as these guidelines are rolled out to measure progress and support enterprise as they rebuild sustainably.
The next guide in the series will provide support to the hospitality sector as it prepares to reopen. Tips on preventing food waste and saving water and energy will demonstrate how significant financial savings can be made by making small changes.
The National Waste Prevention Programme is a Government of Ireland initiative, led by the EPA, which supports national-level, strategic programmes to prevent waste in Ireland.
ENDS
The Environmental Protection Agency leads Ireland’s National Waste Prevention Programme with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. It provides tools and information to businesses, households and the public sector to influence behavioural change and support sustainable choices. Priority areas are food waste, construction & demolition, plastics, agriculture, resources & raw materials and local waste prevention.
The sectoral guides are available on the NWPP page of the EPA website.