Environmental policy

Purpose and scope

Building work creates waste, dust, noise and traffic. This policy sets out how AGL Construction Services Ltd keeps those effects down and meets its legal duties. It applies to everyone who works for us, and to the specialist trades we bring in, on every site.

Our commitments

We will:

• meet the environmental law that applies to our work
• keep waste down, and reuse or recycle what we can
• prevent pollution, and keep dust, noise and disruption to a minimum
• use materials, energy and fuel with care
• listen to residents, neighbours and clients, and act on their concerns

Waste

We have a duty of care for our waste under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. In practice:

• we order carefully, so that less is wasted
• we separate waste on site for reuse and recycling where it is practical
• waste leaves site only with licensed waste carriers, whose registration we check
• every load has a waste transfer note, and we keep the notes as the law requires
• hazardous waste, such as asbestos, is kept apart and removed by specialists authorised to handle it
• we never burn waste on site

Dust, noise and water

• Dust: we damp down, use extraction on cutting tools and keep work areas clean.
• Noise: we keep noisy work to agreed hours and plan it to limit disturbance to residents and neighbours.
• Water: we keep concrete, paint, slurry and chemicals out of drains and watercourses.
• Fuel and chemicals: we store them safely and clean up any spill straight away.

Materials, energy and travel

• On refurbishment work, we keep and reuse what is sound rather than replacing it by default.
• We choose durable materials, and responsibly sourced timber where it is available.
• We maintain our vehicles, choose efficient models when we replace them, and switch engines off when parked.
• We plan deliveries and site visits to avoid unnecessary journeys, and recruiting locally keeps journeys to work short.
• Plant, lighting and heating on site are switched off when they are not needed.

Energy-efficient homes

Insulation, efficient heating and better ventilation are part of our everyday work. They make homes warmer and cheaper to run, and we can advise clients on improvements as part of a refurbishment.

Raising a concern

If our work is causing a problem, such as dust, noise, mess or a spill, tell the site manager or contact the office. We will look into it and put it right where we can. Anyone who works for us must report spills and pollution straight away.

Responsibilities and review

The directors of AGL Construction Services Ltd own this policy and make sure it is followed, and site managers put it into practice on their sites. The directors review it every year, and sooner if the law or our work changes.