It’s Plastic Free July* and our ASBP Reducing Plastics in Construction Group urges you to take a few minutes to consider ways you can reduce the avoidable plastic in the built environment.
Here are some useful resources from our working groups:
The ASBP Reducing Plastics in Construction webpage is dedicated to resources and news from a cross-sector membership group, bringing together stakeholders from across the construction value chain to learn collaboratively and address plastics in construction issues. Since its launch in 2019, this group has investigated aspects of using fossil-fuel based plastics both in products and packaging.
An introductory guidance document on the topic of plastics in construction. This interactive PDF guide has been developed by the ASBP and peer-reviewed by members of the ASBP Plastics in Construction Group.
A toolkit to aid the construction industry in avoiding unnecessary packaging waste, exploring scalable solutions to help combat the prevalence of avoidable packaging plastic waste in construction.
Case Study: CHARM virtually plastic-free homes
The new homes are constructed using timber panels from GreenSquareAccord’s award winning, low carbon manufacturing facility, LoCaL Homes. Plastic has been removed wherever possible, with alternatives installed, including metal, timber, and mineral solutions.
The ASBP Interactive House is a clickable tool that displays which ASBP members manufacture or distribute construction products for various applications, with plastic free or reduced plastic alternatives.
The ASBP Paints and Finishes Group brings together the leading manufacturers and suppliers of natural and healthy paints & finishes in the UK. The group offers free and transparent advice to anyone who wants a healthy option for themselves, their families, and the planet! Natural Paint is an easy win when it comes to going plastic-free and you don’t need to compromise on colour, smell, quality, and easy application.
See below for some of their useful resourses.
A webinar recording for anyone who care about using products that are healthy for people and the planet. Do you really know what is in your paint.
Members of the ASBP Paints & Finishes Group debunk the myths and answer the key Frequently Asked Questions – including “Why should I worry about plastics in paint?”.
Webinar Recording: What problems to natural paints and finishes solve?
The Paints & Finishes Group were delighted to be joined for this event by Paola Paruta, Environmental analyst at Environment Action and lead author of ‘Plastic Paints the Environment‘ report. This research concluded that “Paint appears as the largest source of microplastic leakage into the Ocean & Waterways (1.9 Mt/year), outweighing all other sources of microplastic leakage (e.g. textiles fibres and tyre dust).”
Washbox mobile wash station for paint brushes, rollers, and all fit-out tools
Washbox is a closed-loop, mobile wash station designed to tackle water waste head-on. Operating independently from water and sewer systems, Washbox prevents the release of harmful pollutants and microplastics, safeguarding aquatic ecosystems. It is not just a tool, it is a movement toward a cleaner, water-conscious future for the construction industry and the planet. Washbox was the winner of our . Washbox Global have two versions of this tool washing equipment for construction sites – the original Washbox, winner of the 2024 ASBP Awards (Products category), and the recently launched ‘Rocket‘.
The Natural Fibre Insulation Group (NFIG) is a collective of ASBP members who are the leading manufacturers and suppliers of natural fibre insulation in the UK. While it is true that most (if not all) natural fibre insulation products contain some plastic binders, using natural fibre insulation is an important step away from the 100% fossil-fuel based plastic insulation products. The multiple roles of NFI also improve the functionality of building systems, reducing the need for additional materials for moisture management, acoustics and overheating.
* Plastic Free July is a key initiative of the Plastic Free Foundation working towards a vision of seeing a world free of plastic waste. From humble beginnings in 2011, the award-winning Plastic Free July campaign has gained momentum as the adverse effects of fossil-fuel based plastics become widely accepted.