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Construction Waste Management

Research · March 2016

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.3850.2162

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 Construction Waste Management, And
How It Can Preserve a Healthy
Environment.

By
Abdullah Alrabea
201223400 – 214- 80/12
Major: Civil Engineering.

For
Mr. Jeffery Jameson
Academic and Professional Communication
English 214

Abstract
Construction waste leads to disasters, and the solution for that consists of 5 steps. For
one, bring an end of being a part of causing waste by prevention. On the other hand, waste can
be managed by recycling, reusing, recovering, and last option is to clearance or disposal. Also,
other factors such as economical and marketing are considered to be effective answers.

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Table of Contents

List of illustrations 1

1. INTRODUCTION 2

2. BACKGROUND 2
2.1 Definition. 2
2.2 Waste Composition. 2

3. FORMS OF WASTE. 3

3.1 Demolition Waste. 3

3.2 Economical Waste 4

4. THE KEYS TO AVOID CONSTRUCTION WASTE. 4

4.1 Preventing Waste. 4

4.2 Waste Management. 4

4.2.1 Recycling. 5
4.2.2 Reusing, 5
4.2.3 Recovery. 6
4.2.4 Disposal. 6
4.3 Marketing Strategy For Non Waste-able Materials. 6

CONCLUSIONS 7

RECOMMENDATIONS 7

REFERENCES 8

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List of illistrations:
Figure (1): C&D waste average composition. 3
Figure (2):Waste Hierarchy Summary. 5
Figure (3): Recycling waste. 5
Figure (4): Waste to energy. 6
Figure (5): Burning waste. 6

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 1. INTRODUCTION.

This Report is on construction waste issues and what should be done for it. Environmental
problems are believed to be a disaster. However, there is a little or no directing on how wastes can
be harmful to the surround. Therefore, since I have taken several civil engineering courses in the
field during my junior and sophomore educational years at KFUPM, I see myself qualified to write
a report on this subject.

Construction and Demolition (C&D) process is considered to be a major source of waste in

terms of weight, volume, and quantities. People are capable of stopping that, by acknowledging the
problem and solution for it. Thus, the specific purpose of my report is to provide to the readers the
danger of C&D waste and show suggested and applied solutions.

This report will include some background with a definition, aspects of construction waste,
forms of waste, and the key solution for all discussed construction issues. Details will be highly
focused on demolition and construction. In addition, it will be of interest to Civil Engineering,
Architectural Engineering, and the others who would like to know more about how to have a
healthy environment out of waste.

2. BACKGROUND.

2.1 Definition

According to Tam, C., & Tam, V. (2006) waste is any material, which is created by human
or industrial actions that has no residual value. Many solid waste quantities are left as a result from
C&D, such as concrete, wood, bricks, rock, soil, iron, and glass. Not only demolition can cause this
waste, but also disasters are capable of doing worse. When a disaster attacks, particularly in heavily
populated places, massive amounts of construction and other types of wastes are unexpectedly
produced, demanding instant attention (Lauritzen,1998, p45). For instance, the great Hanshin Awaji
earthquake in 1995, according to Lauritzen (1998, p45) it costed 5400 lives and 40,000 other
injured, leaving 20 million tons meter cube waste quantities.

2.3 Waste Composition.

C&D waste is formed mainly by materials such as concrete, wood, glass, sand, bricks, and
other construction elements. According to Brown, Seville, & Milke (2011, p1088) waste

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composition is impacted by the environment, weather, or heat in that area. More details about that
will be deliberated in 3.1.

3. FORMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL WASTE.

It is well known that depending on their nature and built environment impacts, forms of
waste are different (Brown, Milke & Seville, 2011, p1085). Accordingly, they cause direct physical
damages to the environment.

3.1 Demolition and construction waste

C & D, construction and demolition, waste is formed by large components of municipal
solid waste and it is the major component of disaster (Milke, Brown, & Seville, 2011, p1090). “
Due to the lack of disposal sites and the limitation of natural resources, recycling of C&D
[Construction and Demolition] waste has attracted considerable attention”( Lauritzen,1998, p45).
In case of storm, hurricane, or earthquake, wither it was made by nature or humans actions, it is
always linked to C&D waste. C&D waste material consists mainly of concrete, masonry,
limestone, sandstone, metal, and wood depending on the waste type, not only this but also in
building waste a great ratio of paper, plastic etc. is expected due to packing supplies and the wood
retired from formwork and other materials are left behind as a result (Kartam, Al-Mutairi, Al-
Ghusain, & Al-Humoud, 2004, p1051). This is not healthy for the environment since it has been
increasing over the past decades. When people are starting to build their own house in KSA, they
tend to buy the luxury materials dismissing the fact that they may have made the wrong choice.
After an average of ten years they tend to change and renew buildings, throwing all the left
materials away. With residents of about 29 million, Saudi Arabia produces more than 15 million
tons of solid waste per year (Zafar, 2015).

Figure 1: C&D waste average composition (recycleworks.org)

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3.2 Economical Waste.
Lacking of economic incentives, promoting recycling performance will not be easy
(Kartam, Al-Mutairi, Al-Ghusain, & Al-Humoud, 2004, p1052). However, with the understanding
that there is a slight economic invention, it is possible. The progress of collecting C&D waste
materials, recycling them, and finally selling them, costs a considerable price for companies
besides. Beside, cheap disposal is driving builders, contractors or demolition people to take the
cheapest way ignoring all other possibilities. Therefore, according to Kartam, Al-Mutairi, Al-
Ghusain & Al-Humoud (2004, p1052) the key is to apply the idea of the polluter pays principle is
important, which is totally legal. This will make manufactures decreases environment impacts by
growing existing industrial operations of recycled products.

4. THE KEYS TO AVOID WASTE OF CONSTRUCTION.

The way to reduce construction waste is by following a specific system includes five stages,
which will be fully discussed in this section.

4.1 Preventing Waste.

Waste Prevention, source reduction, is the avoiding of using much materials than needed
and thus create less waste. It can be done by in several ways. For example, selling exchanging, or
donating house materials to special organizations. Also, by telling people how dangerous it is, and
educate them how to manage it. Contractors should be aware of efficient amount of materials,
dimensions of the design, and to select strong supplies.

4.2 Waste Management.

If it is not possible to prevent waste, then waste should be managed wisely. Perfect plans
should be developed prior to a disaster event, however in several situations plans are only
formulated after a disaster has hit (Milke, Brown, & Seville, 2011, p1094).

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 Disposal

Other recovery

Recycling

Preparing for Reuse

Prevetion

Figure 2: Waste Hierarchy Summary (Heidi Curran, 2014, p16)

4.2.1 Reusing.
It is using the same material again with the same usage without turning it to any
other form (Curran, 2014, p16). For example, consuming bricks taken from demolished houses in
building another one.

4.2.2 Reycling.
It is turning materials into other useful forms
when directly reusing is not possible (Curran, 2014, p11).
Various components of C&D waste can be recycled. For
instance, according to Kartam, Al-Mutairi, Al-Ghusain, &
Al-Humoud (2014, p1051) metals have the highest
recycling percentage over the materials recovered from
C&D sites. Metals such as steel which has high value and
very recoverable.

Figure (3): Recycling waste. (cdeglobal.com)

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 4.2.3 Recovery.

After a long time spent in using materials, it

may require recovering to be used again in
several ways. For example, turning waste
into energy such as heat. Waste to energy
is an effective solution. Curran (2014, p15)
statuses that in England after four years at
least 70% by weight of C&D waste will be
subjected to material recovery.

Figure (4):Waste to Energy recovery(ecomena.org)

4.2.4 Disposal.
Disposal is the last choice should be
considered, as it means removing, sometimes
materials are unusable after first usage. Therefore,
in this case burning and landfill is included. But this
is not finest solution should be considered, because
it also has negative impacts on environment.
Carefully the previous key must be studied before
jumping to this conclusion. As it is one of the main
reasons for pollution.

Figure (5): Burning Waste (bethepro.com)

4.1 Marketing Strategy For Non Waste-able Materials.

In free market situation, the choice between recycled and virgin materials depends upon
price and quality, so in order to the recycled supplies to be marketed as substitute for usual raw
materials, it is needed that recycled materials satisfy the given technical qualifications and be
economically competitive (Kartam, Al-Mutairi, Al-Ghusain, & Al-Humoud, 2004, p1051). For
example, metals have the maximum recycling rates among the materials recovered from C&D
locations. There are no real plans for C&D waste in KSA as we have to start investing immediately.
According to Kartam, Al-Mutairi, Al-Ghusain, & Al-Humoud, (2004, p 1051) there are major
elements that are needed before materials recycling can turn to be a reality, a dependable source of
appropriate recycled materials, shortage of raw materials, accessibility of markets for raw materials
and products made by recycling methods, and a recycled product that is competitive with natural
resources in terms of price and quality. According to Gite, B.E., & Margai, S. R. (2013), Carbon
Fibre meets our future needs for the best performance with no more construction waste. It is so
special for its high efficient properties, including, high strength to weight ratio, rigidity, resistant,

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electrical conductivity, fatigue resistance, tensile strength, fire resistance, thermal conductivity, and
law coefficient of thermal expansion. It can be used in many fields such as civil engineering,
aircraft, sport, military, home, medicine, and industries.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, waste is defined as unwanted materials cause disasters. C&D waste structure
is generated essentially by wood, concrete, glass, and sand. Types of wastes are demolition
manufacturing and economical. And to stop waste, reuse, recover, or recycle, unwanted materials.
Advertising plans for efficient supplies, also takes a big part to eliminate waste. Hopefully, in the
future as communities realize risks of C&D waste, we will see many applications to minimize
waste, and we will have a healthy environment.

RECOMMENDATIONS

C&D waste is not an easy challenge for us to go through. However, urgent actions needed
to be taken in order to eliminate waste to the environment. The following recommendations will
help minimizing the waste.

1. In buildings, builders should use the required amounts of materials as needed not more.

2. Following efficient designs suggested by special organizations in order to avoid waste.

3. Before demolition, owners should either exchange, sell, or donate building useful materials to
different administrations.

4. Reading and knowing more on construction management is essential especially for constructors
and engineers.

5. Marketing for non-waste-able supplies which can be used repeatedly, will reduce much waste.

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 REFERENCES
Curran, H. (2014, May 9). Draft construction environmental management plan. Retrieved from
http://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/wp-content/ipc/uploads/projects/EN020001/2.
Post-Submission/Application Documents/Environmental Statement/5.26.2 ES Draft CEMP
Appendix 1 - Outline Waste Management Plan.pdf

Gite, B.E., & Margai, S. R. (2013, May 17). Carbon fibre as a recent material use in construction.
Civil Engineering Portal.Retrieved from http://www.engineeringcivil.com/carbon-fibre-as-a-
recent-material-use-in-construction.html

Kartam, N., Al-Mutairi, N., Al-Ghusain, I., & Al-Humoud, J. (2004). Environmental management
of construction and demolition waste in Kuwait. Waste Management, 24(10), 1049,1059-
1049,1059. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2004.06.003

Lauritzen, E. (1998, October). Emergency construction waste management. Safety Science, 30(1,2),
45,53-45,53. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0925-7535(98)00032-0

Milke, M., Brown, C., & Seville, E. (2011). Disaster waste management. Waste Management,
31(6), 1085,1098-1085,1098. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2011.01.027

Tam, C., & Tam, V. (2006). A review on the viable technology for construction waste recycling.
Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 47(3), 1049,1059-1049,1059. Retrieved from
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2005.12.002

Zafar, S. (2015, March 28). Solid waste management in Saudi Arabia. Retrieved from
http://www.ecomena.org/solid-waste-management-in-saudi-arabia/

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