Six months on from Site Waste Management Plans becoming a legal requirement, a survey has shown that more than half of construction companies are unaware that SWMPs are mandatory for all projects over £300,000 in England.

The research by the Federation of Master Builders and government enviromental adviser Netregs found that 51.2% were unaware of their legal obligations regarding SWMPs.

However, of those companies that have used the plans, 45% reported money savings as a result of less wastage, and 25% said the plans had helped them win new work.

Some 83% of construction companies have tried to find ways to reduce the amount of waste they produce.

"Using SWMPs should be considered good industry practice, whether a project is above £300,000 or not," said Richard Martin, programme manager at Netregs.