Over 150 industry professionals took part in the inaugural Business Material Exchange Program (BMEx) Challenge to build partnerships to help reduce construction waste on Vancouver Island.
According to a media release, BMEx was established to help reduce waste management costs and the amount of construction materials that eventually end up in landfills, and by matching businesses across the region through the program with others in need of goods needed to complete projects.
The event took place in Nanaimo and Victoria and was intended to bring together innovative minds from across the island to share ‘economy-driven’ ideas, products and technologies.
Audiences of local community members were able to share potential solutions through an interactive environment while addressing specific challenges faced by local businesses and managing director of Circular Innovation and Lighthouse Gil Yaron says the meetings were productive and well received.
“We got great feedback from the businesses who came out to the BMEx Challenge events,” he says. “We’re making more connections possible between industry members, and I know that together we’ll be able to reduce landfill costs and create more opportunities for businesses to get their hands on high-quality, raw materials for a fraction of the virgin material costs.”
BMEx hopes to launch their marketplace which will be a partnership between Rheaply and Habitat for Humanity to help manage waste materials.
Materials accepted through BMEx include concrete, aggregates, asphalt, wood, metal, glass, carpet, doors, flooring, drywall and fixtures.
The program is funded by the Regional District of Nanaimo’s Zero Waste Recycling Fund, the Captial Regional District, the Cowichan Valley Regional District and the City of Nanaimo.
