# Waste
Up to 40 per cent of the waste going to Australia’s landfills is related to the construction and demolition of buildings. Even more waste is produced during the occupancy phase of buildings. Poor waste practices and treatment of the environment in the past have not only lead to a degradation of our water, air and land resources but also represent a big financial burden to current and future generations.
Simple design decisions can influence the amount of construction waste being produced and how operational waste streams are separated.
In the Waste category, BESS includes actions regarding building re-use, food & garden waste and convenience of recycling.