Waste Management in Industrial Construction: Investigating Contributions from Industrial Ecology

Abstract

The need for effective construction waste management is growing in importance, due to the increasing generation of construction waste and to its adverse impacts on the environment. However, despite the numerous studies on construction waste management, recovery of construction waste through Industrial Symbiosis and the adoption of other inter-firm practices, comprised within Industrial Ecology field of study, have not been fully explored. The present research aims to investigate Industrial Ecology contributions to waste management in industrial construction. The waste management strategies adopted in two industrial construction projects in Brazil are analyzed. The main waste streams generated are identified, recycling and landfilling diversion rates are presented and waste recovery through Industrial Symbiosis is discussed. A SWOT analysis was carried out. Results demonstrate that 9% of the waste produced in one of the projects was recovered through Industrial Symbiosis, while in the other project, waste recovery through Industrial Symbiosis achieved the rate of 30%. These data reveal Industrial Symbiosis' potential to reduce landfilling of industrial construction wastes, contributing to waste recovery in construction. In addition, results show that industrial construction projects can benefit from the following synergies common in Industrial Ecology place-based approaches: centralized waste management service, shared waste management infrastructure and administrative simplification.Sustainability 2017, 9, 1251 2 of 17 recycling and management actions within construction projects to deal with the various kinds of waste generated [2,9] and to assure legal compliance.Researchers have pointed out that waste management in construction activities should start from the design and the procurement phases and, then, extend to onsite technologies and plans [10]. Project designers should spend some time on considering how to reduce waste generation through reasonable design schemes [11], use of secondary materials [12], as well as, standardization of construction materials, dimensional coordination and application of modern methods of construction [13].In turn, regarding onsite management activities, adherence to design documents, reduction of the number and extent of design changes [13] and more accurate estimation of materials required in each construction stage [14] have been pointed as practices with great potential to reduce waste generation. Onsite management of construction waste is also considered determinant for its destination [15]. Waste segregation [16] and maximization of onsite materials reuse [17,18], for example, are practices that contribute for reducing waste landfilling and material intensiveness in construction. The importance of waste management plans to effective waste management in construction projects is also recognized [13], although its dissemination to all workers is one of the least widespread practices in construction [12]. The relevance of adequate supervision of waste management activities an...

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