GB-Banbury / Northern Ireland: Construction, Demolition and Excavation (CDE) Waste Arising Survey Northern Ireland

The construction sector is a crucial industry for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the long term. One-third of material consumption and 26% of carbon dioxide emissions come from this sector globally. The recent Circularity Gap Report: Northern Ireland highlighted agriculture and construction as Northern Ireland's most material- and emission-intensive sectors. Infrastructure, housing, and repair and maintenance are still the construction sector's most important activities in both Northern Ireland and the UK.

DAERA wish to consider the inclusion of the construction, demolition and excavation waste sector as a contributor to meeting the above referenced 70% recycling target. Accurately quantifying C&D waste is very challenging due to limitations on reporting, the sector generating C&D waste being diverse and tonnages frequently being estimated rather than weighed.

The objectives of this work are to:

Produce reliable data estimates of the quantities, fates and composition of CDE Waste in Northern Ireland in 2023/24. This data is required to: Inform progress towards the statutory EU target Inform progress towards the Climate Change Act target. Assist with the development of appropriate policy initiatives / interventions, if and where required, to boost waste prevention, reuse, and increase recycling of these waste streams in line with circular economy ambitions.

The study will include an element of primary data gathering through surveys, as well as use of existing information. Specifically, this study should:

Generate reliable estimates of the amount of CDE waste arising in Northern Ireland in 2023/24, including waste dealt with on the CDE sites, waste sent off site for management at a licensed or exempt sites, waste sent for beneficial purposes to landfill, and estimation of waste disposed of illegally by SOC and EWC codes; Generate reliable estimates of the amount of CDE waste managed in Northern Ireland in 2023/24, including waste managed both on the site of arising and off site; Provide a breakdown of both waste arising and waste treated by waste type (SOC and EWC codes); Provide a breakdown of the amounts and proportion of material reused, recycled, recovered or sent to landfill; Make a quantified assessment of the carbon impacts of the waste and the costs to Northern Ireland; and Make a quantified assessment of the potential for further reduction, reuse and recycling of the various waste streams.