Reuse, recycle and reduction of construction and demolition waste: a Hong Kong study

Abstract

Construction and demolition wastes (C&D Waste) become major contributors to the environmental pollution in Hong Kong. Managing C&D Waste effectively becomes a pressing issue in the local construction industry. Although the principles of reuse, recycle and reduction for C&D wastes have been promoted among construction professionals for many years, the effectiveness of their applications seems limited. One of the major barriers for this is identified as the lack of guidelines to assist construction workers and professionals in implementing these activities. This paper presents a comprehensive system for implementing the reuse, recycling and reduction on C&D Waste by classifying the wastes into eight groups: plastic, paper, paperboard, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, glass, timber, compostables, and other materials. The suitability of each group of waste for reuse, or recycle or reduction is investigated and guidelines for implementation are proposed.