Todays post from Builderscrap.com continues the recycling around the world series.  Todays focus is GERMANY: BBC reporter Tristana Moore gives us the details.

The Germans like to think of themselves as the world champions of the environment. There is no denying the fact that Germans take green issues seriously. When it comes to separating your household rubbish, this can be a complicated business.

As a foreigner living in Berlin, you can easily be embarrassed by your German friends who will berate you for not separating your rubbish.

There are at least five types of rubbish bin in the courtyards of apartment buildings and inside people’s houses. Luckily, the bins are colour-coded, to avoid any confusion – a yellow bin for packaging (old milk cartons etc), a blue bin for paper and cardboard, bins for glass (separated into ones for clear, brown and green glass) a “Bio” bin designed for left-over food and plant waste. Finally, there is a black bin for the rest of the rubbish (or for those people who do not bother to sort out their rubbish).

In theory, people are obliged under German law to take any “special rubbish,” such as batteries or chemicals, to a recycling centre. If you fail to do this, it could be considered an “administrative offence”, although in practice prosecutions are rare.

The separation of rubbish is not compulsory for the private citizen, but according to surveys, around 90% of Germans are willing to sort out their rubbish.

Where all this rubbish finally ends up is also complicated. According to a new law which came into force on the first of June 2005, the left-over rubbish must not simply be consigned to a rubbish dump, but it must be subjected to a pre-treatment process.

Todays BuilderScrap.com posts continues our look at how other countries deal with waste and recycling.

We are looking at the UNITED STATES: with a BBC report from Matthew Davis

Efforts to improve recycling rates and to reduce household and commercial waste are led by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Today, the US recycles about 28% of its waste, the EPA says, a rate that has almost doubled during the past 15 years.

Recycling of specific materials has grown even more drastically: 42% of all paper, 40% of all plastic soft drink bottles, 55% of all aluminium beer and soft drink cans, 57% of all steel packaging, and 52% of all major appliances are now recycled.

Twenty years ago, only one roadside recycling programme existed in the US.

By 1998 there were 9,000 roadside programmes and 12,000 recyclable drop-off centres across the nation.

Some 480 materials recovery plants have been established to process the collected materials.

In 1999, recycling and composting activities prevented about 64 million tons of material from ending up in landfills and incinerators.

The EPA’s WasteWise scheme is aimed at businesses and other organisations and targets the reduction of municipal solid waste and certain industrial wastes.

Recycling rates vary from state to state. At the bottom end of the scale Alaska, Wyoming and Montana recycle less than 9% of waste, while in New York, Virginia and five other states more than 40% of waste is recycled.

Here in the BuilderScrap offices we’re really enjoying these insights into how other countries operate. We love to find out about different systems, contrasting attitudes and how the we can benchmark and improve our systems.

This weeks first post from BuilderScrap.com.

Q: What can you do to implement a whole life approach to sustainability in your business?

1. Most respondents were willing to develop a whole life approach, life tools and databases in their business.

2. Some said they would promote a whole life approach among design teams rather than `lowest cost’, e.g. through conferences, training, workshops and publications.

3. Other suggestions included finding end-of-life applications for products; improving robustness of materials; introducing environmental management systems; carrying out life cycle assessments; and carbon foot-printing of business activities.

More from the BuilderScrap.com office, this post focuses on the legislation that hinders sustainability in business operations.

Q: We would be grateful for information from you on specific pieces of legislation which are impeding your ability to be more sustainable in your business operations.

1. Many respondents favoured better and simpler regulation. A number of respondents highlighted the importance of more effective planning and Building Control (and enforcement) system to help to deliver change, achieve clarity, ensure compliance and lead to improved standards.

2. A number of respondents considered the UK waste regime to be too complex (particularly for SMEs) and that there needed to be greater clarity in the definition of waste and current licensing, recycling and reuse issues.

3. Some respondents felt there was a positive role for regulation to frame and drive up standards, while creating a period of certainty during which industry could adapt its processes and products to the new standards. Some said that regulation should be complemented by other initiatives such as financial incentives to encourage innovation.

4. Some respondents said the Strategy was an opportunity to develop mechanisms to change things for the better. Many contributors from the industry, institutions and trade bodies were committed to this change. They looked to Government leadership to set a framework for change to which individuals and businesses could commit.

With the weather being as nice as it has been, this story we came across here at BuilderScrap, is pretty topical!  The article was on the Building.co.uk website, and discusses new research about an ancient, eco- friendly building technique.

Research reveals that having just the right amount of water is the key to maximising the strength of rammed earth.  The secret to successful sandcastle construction could help revive an ancient eco-friendly building technique, according to researchers.

Experts at Durham’s School of Engineering led a study into the strength of rammed earth, which is growing in popularity as a sustainable building method.

In the same way that a sandcastle requires just a little water to stand strong, the Durham engineers found that the strength of rammed earth was heavily dependent on its water content.

Rammed earth is a manufactured material made up of sand, gravel and clay, which is moistened and then compacted between forms to build walls. It was developed in ancient China around 2,000 years before Christ.

Having the right amount of water is the key to both sandcastle building and rammed earth construction.  There is increasing interest in using the technique as it may help reduce reliance on cement in building materials – cement production being responsible for 5% of man’s CO2 output. Rammed earth materials can often also be sourced locally, reducing transport needs.

It is hoped the findings could also aid the conservation of ancient rammed earth buildings by putting methods in place to protect against too much water entering a structure, which would reduce its strength.

Paul Jaquin, a researcher on the project, now works for engineering consultancy Ramboll UK on new earth building projects around the world, and is using this research to better engineer buildings.

Research project leader Dr Charles Augarde, of Durham University’s School of Engineering, said: “We know that rammed earth can stand the test of time but the source of its strength has not been understood properly to date.

“Without this understanding we cannot effectively conserve old rammed earth or make economic designs for new build.”

He added: “By understanding more about this we can begin to look at the implications for using rammed earth as a green material in the design of new buildings and in the conservation of ancient buildings that were constructed using the technique.”

Interesting stuff.  Best get out the bucket and spade and hit the beach!

IMPACT OF SUSTAINABLE ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE REGULATION…  A WARNING!

Here at BuilderScrap we think it’s possible, if not probable, that plant and equipment will need to be replaced even where it is not beyond economic repair, as a result of the new regulations. Service charge provisions in leases will not generally allow a landlord to recover the cost of works which amount to improvement. As with the Asbestos Regulations, it may be possible for the landlord to recover the cost of compliance through service charge provisions or the statutory compliance clauses.

In an FRI lease, the provisions will have an effect upon terminal dilapidation claims where plant and equipment must be replaced rather than repaired. There will be no obligation upon a tenant to fund the cost of replacement of any item that is not in disrepair and therefore serious concentration upon statutory compliance clauses and service charge clauses will be necessary.

The testing of equipment is bound to lead to conflicts over liability for failure in design and construction, leading to claims against Architects, Project Managers and Contractors. Standard warranties will need to be reviewed.

Reputation is all important. Investors have already announced they may boycott companies that fail to meet socially responsible standards in energy efficiency. Directors reporting duties are becoming increasingly focussed towards environmental issues. Companies providing services to the public sector are often already required as part of the tendering process to demonstrate carbon neutral status.

The Property Industry will not be able to ignore this particular bundle of red tape. In time, it will have an effect on the bottom line if it is not addressed seriously and quickly.

Why not try and source materials free of charge on our website http://builderscrap.com