Tikam, H. and Kothari, C. (2026) Policy instruments for effective construction and demolition waste management. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, pp. 1-34. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose – The study develops a comprehensive understanding of construction and demolition waste management (CDWM) policies by addressing fragmented nature of existing research that lacks a holistic, multi-country perspective encompassing all policy dimensions. Using developed thematic categories, it conducts comprehensive policy analysis of five major economies representing diverse socio-economic and technological contexts. The study generates global insights and formulates actionable strategies for evidence-based CDWM policymaking and circular economy advancement. Design/methodology/approach – Thematic analysis was employed to identify key CDWM policy themes/subthemes, followed by policy analysis across selected countries (India, China, USA, Japan and Germany) for developed themes to uncover global insights and policy strategies. Research rigor was ensured through inter-coder reliability, diverse data sources, data saturation and PRISMA-based selection procedure. Findings – Findings reveal that CDWM policies constitute a multi-dimensional framework integrating regulatory, technical, economic, and capacity-building aspects. The identified key themes/subthemes provide structured approach for analysing policies and benchmarking practices. The study outlines key policy strategies across selected countries for strengthening CDWM. Together, the developed themes/subthemes and policy action plan serve as practical tool to identify critical areas and design context-specific recommendations. Originality/value – By addressing the absence of holistic, multi-country analysis, this study enhances systematic understanding of CDWM policy instruments and their scopes. It identifies key policy themes and formulates strategies across policy dimensions, delivering integrative insights for countries seeking to strengthen CDWM. Furthermore, the adopted methodology provides robust approach for policy analysis.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | circular economy; construction waste; demolition; policy instruments; regulatory framework |
| Index terms: | dimension, methodology, India, Japan, circular economy, thematic analysis, strategy, Germany, evidence, waste management, policy analysis, construction waste, strengthening, China, construction and demolition, policy instrument, benchmarking |
| Subjects: | evaluation and assessment methods, health monitoring assessment and metrics, Geography, management, research methods, policy studies, waste management, methods and analysis, performance measurement, structural engineering, sustainable design |
| Topics: | Engineering Principles, Quality Management, Research Practice, Sustainability, Geographical Context, Governance, Business Strategy, Health and Safety |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here