What is Himalayan Balsam? Himalayan Balsam or Impatiens glandulifera is an invasive plant that was introduced to the UK in 1839 as an ornamental garden plant. The plant was native to the Himalayan region and grows rapidly causing issues for surrounding plants. The plant forms dense colonies which suppress neighbouring plants by shading them […]

Waste Soils is a term you will hear frequently when working in the construction industry. This is because according to Defra, the construction industry generates 51 million tonnes of waste soils which accounts for around 43% of all construction waste and 25% of total UK waste generated in 2016. What are waste soils? Waste soils […]

Homes England shifts to a dynamic framework Firms have been invited to tender for the new Delivery Partner Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS), which shifts from the agency’s Delivery Partner Panel system. This new approach will open Homes England sites up more widely to the whole market and be more flexible to accommodate market changes. The […]

What is a circular economy? A circular economy is a concept aimed at eliminating waste and making continuous usage of the resources available. This can be achieved by reusing or recycling waste soils or materials rather than disposing of them, helping to preserve the raw materials that are available. To put this into perspective, the […]

  Construction activity rises after December dip The amount of new work increased by 1.7% in January, this was mainly pushed by the private commercial and infrastructure industries, which grew by 4.5% and 3.1% according to the Office of National Statistics. Construction is still the only sector of the UK economy that is still growing […]

If you work in the construction or civils industry you might have heard of the phrase ‘Muck Away‘. In simple terms, Muck Away is the process of removing waste, mainly soil, from a development site. The material will then be sent to the appropriate location for either disposal, remediation, or reuse. If your project produces […]

    Construction output drops for the first time since COVID-19 crash Monthly construction output fell 2.9% in December as the third national lockdown restrictions began to be felt and the Brexit transition period came to an end. This latest fall in output by the Office of National Statistics saw total activity fall back below […]

What are construction waste soils? During construction, the existing ground is generally excavated to create new levels, foundations, or void space for fill materials such as aggregates. These soils can be reused on-site as general fill, however, if there is no further use for the soil and it requires removal from the site, it becomes […]

  Construction recovers to a pre-pandemic level   The latest construction output figures by the ONS shows that the industry has rebounded. New work activity in November rose by 3.5%, this saw an overall 1.9% rise in month-on-month work, taking construction 0.6% above the February pre-pandemic level of output. Infrastructure led the way with 9.6% […]

What is Japanese Knotweed? Fallopia Japonica or Japanese Knotweed, as it is commonly known, is an invasive plant that spreads rapidly. It can be seen growing in late spring, through summer & into autumn. The plant dies back to ground levels in winter; however, its rhizomes (underground stems) remain deep underground ready for the new […]