The proposals could see the requirement in place by next March. Scotland's environment minister Ross Finnie launched the consultation while visiting glass reprocessor Viridor Glass Recycling today.
” The public sector has significant spending power and should use this in an environmentally responsible way.“
– Ross Finnie
The Midlothian-based firm has benefited from a 65,000 grant from the Scottish Executive through WRAP to supply glass for commercial-scale trials to make recycled concrete. Neighbouring firm Brand & Rae has received just over 70,000 from the Waste and Resources Action Programme to run the trials.
Launching the consultation, Mr Finnie said: “The public sector has significant spending power and should use this in an environmentally responsible way. Targets will help encourage public bodies to specify how much recycled material should be incorporated into projects.
“Scottish people are increasingly recycling and this commitment will help to demonstrate how recycling can contribute to making us more sustainable,” the minister added.
The consultation paper proposes that in 90% of construction contracts (by value) public bodies should specify that 10% of the material used should derive from recycled content. The paper also proposes that in 90% of paper contracts let by the public sector, at least 50% of printing and writing paper should be from recycled sources and tissue paper should be 100% recycled.
The proposed targets would extend to the Scottish Executive, its agencies, local authorities, Registered Social Landlords, non-departmental public bodies including the Enterprise Networks and the NHS. The consultation closes on November 18.
Glass
Under the Viridor Glass Recycling and Brand & Rae project, recycled glass will be incorporated into 75,000 concrete blocks across a number of the company's product ranges, including standard dense, paintgrade, masonry and lightweight blocks.
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These will then be independently tested to establish their performance in both laboratory-based tests and in real life application.
Gary Bell, managing director of Brand & Rae, said: “The company fully supports the Scottish Executive's proposed initiative launched today, and through the increased use of a range of recycled materials hopes to assist the public sector in achieving its targets in the coming years.”
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