The Reuse of Raw Materials - What is Most Beneficial in Reducing Construction Waste?

Abstract

Construction and demolition waste is defined as relatively clean, heterogenous building material debris that come from construction, renovation, and demolition of bridges, roads, and buildings. It is thought that the construction industry uses 50% of all global energy and accounts for 35% of carbon dioxide emissions (Silvia et al., 2020). It is clear that to make an environmental impact, construction waste has to be attended to. The mainstream fix for this is recycling, but how truly effective is recycling? Recycling has processing costs that can virtually diminish its benefits. The idea of reuse eliminates conversion costs and decreases the demand for virgin resources. This research aims to determine the most sustainable way to reduce construction waste - reuse or recycling.