Arif, M; Bendi, D; Toma-Sabbagh, T and Sutrisna, M (2012) Construction waste management in India: An exploratory study. Construction Innovation, 12(2), pp. 133-155. ISSN 1471-4175
Abstract
Purpose: The growth of Indian economy has brought with it significant increase in construction activities. These increased construction activities have further highlighted the problem of waste generation on construction sites. The purpose of this paper is to provide important insights and highlight some issues related to the implementation of effective waste management practices on construction sites in India. Design/methodology/approach: This paper presents two cases and results from semi-structured interviews which shed light on some of the major issues, challenges and drivers associated with the implementation of waste management in construction in India. Findings: One of the key findings was that client preference and enforcement of existing laws could actually facilitate the implementation of waste minimisation effectively. Some of the practices being followed, and which are gaining more popularity, are waste quantification, waste segregation, and the implementation of 3Rs (reduce, recycle, and reuse). Congested construction sites, sites in heavily built-up areas with no ability to have an alternate storage or staging location for materials, lack of ownership of waste due to the presence of multiple contractors on the construction site and lack of awareness and education among the construction workforce were regarded as major challenges associated with the implementation of waste minimisation practices in India. Research limitations/implications: The cases and the interviewees chosen were through the authors' links with the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC). The cases were LEED registered projects therefore issues dealing with green construction had been taken into account. These cases might not be representative of the entire country, as there are significantly high proportions of construction projects that are not as green, especially in smaller cities in India. However, the two cases do provide important insights and highlight some issues related to the implementation of effective waste management practices on construction sites in India. The individuals interviewed also had link with IGBC. They had been involved with the green building movement in India for a significant length of time. But the length and breadth of their experience gave them the ability to comment on state of the construction sector and its green as well as non-green practices associated with waste management. Originality/value: This paper presents an exploratory study which assesses the implementation of waste management practices in the Indian construction industry. It also highlights activities within different stages of a construction project that can lead to more effective waste management in the construction sector.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction industry; construction management; India; recycling; waste generation; waste management; waste minimisation; waste reuse |
| Index terms: | presence, ownership, India, enforcement, construction industry, implementation, construction waste, quantification, waste generation, recycling, construction activity, effective waste management, construction project, methodology, waste management, green building, construction sector, preference, interview, recycle, minimization, movement, construction site, exploratory study |
| Subjects: | industry analysis, measurement and scaling, production management, Geography, health safety and environment, research methods, algorithms, decision-making and reasoning, economics, design practice, contractual arrangements, environmental science, construction operations, work location, health behaviours and lifestyles, waste management, environmental impact, data collection methods |
| Topics: | Sustainability, Procurement, Project Management, Geographical Context, Research Practice, Health and Safety, Site Management, Organizational Design, Digital Applications, Design Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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