CREDIT: LARRY D MOORE
Six decades after critics coined the phrase“ throwaway society” to describe America’ s addiction to disposability, the US now has set its sights on a zero-waste culture.
In the US and beyond, plastic bags and straws have been replaced with sustainable alternatives, while the construction industry has adopted its own waste-prevention methods.
Globally-recognised, voluntary frameworks provide guidance and incentives. For example, the Total Resource Use and Efficiency( TRUE) certification reflects upstream choices, guiding developers to make decisions that reduce waste.
Meanwhile, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design( LEED) certifies projects on one of four levels based on a number of sustainability criteria. Similarly, BREEAM( Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) scores building sustainability performance across environmental categories. However, there is some way to go before progress towards“ zero waste”
108 October 2026