Sisk has become the first construction company in Ireland to earn Zero Plastic to Landfill Certification for its Vantage Data Centres project in Dublin.

The company has recycled 5.6 tonnes of soft plastics, 2 tonnes of polystyrene and 6.6 tonnes of cardboard since January 2024 and led this initiative in conjunction with waste contractors Thorntons, Waste Matters and its supply chain partner, Kirbys.

Soft plastics and polystyrene have been repurposed into useful products like fence posts, flower pots, and insulation materials, reflecting the core principle of the circular economy: Value Optimisation.

The contractor has been acknowledged by the Responsible Plastic Management Program (RPM) under ISO/IEC 17065 standards, achieving Zero Plastic to Landfill status. This certification involves third-party audits of the site and oversight of how project-related plastic waste is handled by waste contractors, ensuring that it does not end up in landfills.

Sisk is the general contractor for Vantage Data Centres' flagship Ireland campus (DUB1), which will include 52MW of IT capacity across two data centres. Located on 22 acres, the campus will consist of one 32MW facility and one 20MW facility with the first phase scheduled to be operational in late 2024. The campus is being built in alignment with Vantage’s sustainable blueprint.

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The management of plastic waste is addressed in the Sisk Sustainability Roadmap 2030. This plan emphasises sustainable practices and collaboration with supply chain partners to foster lasting impacts in construction and support overall sustainability objectives.

Donal McCarthy, COO - Data, Life Sciences & Technology, Sisk stated: "We are very proud to become the first construction company in Ireland and the UK to achieve Zero Plastic to Landfill. Our on-site team has introduced impressive sustainable practices, such as segregating and processing polystyrene directly on site, a first for Sisk. We will be creating a world-class campus and leaving a lasting legacy for the communities surrounding Grange Castle. This initiative ultimately supports the goals of our Sustainability Roadmap and UN Sustainable Development Goals."

Noel Scanlon, Vantage, added: "Sisk has taken an industry-leading approach to plastic waste management and advancing circularity in construction processes,” said Noel Scanlon, Development Delivery Director for Ireland, Vantage Data Centres. “As one of Vantage’s partners in delivering our DUB1 data centre campus, we welcomed this initiative and are pleased to see all plastic waste from our construction site being repurposed and given a second life. Sisk’s commitment to sustainability aligns with Vantage’s ESG strategy, and we appreciate how this initiative benefits not only the planet, but also our community partners. For example, planter pots made from the repurposed plastic have been incorporated into our community outreach with St Ronan’s School in Clondalkin where Vantage supports the Green Schools initiative, including planting activities with the school children and improving the greenery on the grounds."

Aaron Marshall, Engagement Director, Responsible Plastic Management Program, also said: "Responsible Plastic Management (RPM) Program is delighted to award Sisk with the Zero Plastic To Landfill Certificate for the Vantage Site. It is fantastic to see the fruition of all the hard work and innovation of the Sisk team combined with the vision of Vantage for their ‘next generation data centres’. Certification was achieved through a rigorous external evaluation of plastic inputs, waste data, site audits to review best practice and visits to their waste contractors and recyclers to confirm end fates of plastic from the Sisk operation in order to verify they meet the requirements of the Zero Plastic to Landfill Challenge."