Advertisement
Published in:
2020 | OriginalPaper | Chapter
Waste Management: The Case of Construction and Demolition Waste in Port Elizabeth
Authors : Siyabonga Jikeka, John Smallwood, Fidelis Emuze, Eric Simpeh
Published in: Sustainable Ecological Engineering Design
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Activate our intelligent search to find suitable subject content or patents.
Select sections of text to find matching patents with Artificial Intelligence. powered by
Select sections of text to find additional relevant content using AI-assisted search. powered by
Abstract
The construction industry has both positive and negative repercussions on the environment. One of the main negative impacts is waste generation. The huge amount of construction and demolition waste (CDW) entering landfills in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, has stressed the local environment. To alleviate its adverse impacts, the municipality and construction industry have adopted a set of measures.
A study was conducted to provide insight into CDW management practices in Port Elizabeth, to develop a response to the CDW problem. The objectives were to determine whether: CDW is indiscriminately disposed of; certain CDW is hazardous; there is a disproportionate amount of CDW, and generated CDW is often re-wasted. The sample included construction managers, site agents, and municipal officials in the employ of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.
The study revealed that the number of CDW disposal sites is inadequate, which contributes to illegal dumping of CDW, and a culture of lawlessness engenders and leads to illegal dumping of CDW. Furthermore, illegal dumping of hazardous waste is a threat to human and environmental health. Lastly, the research determined that contractors manage their schedule of materials ordered, packaging of material, and recycle damaged or incomplete material, which mitigates CDW.
The challenges encountered during this research are beneficial to both researcher and industry practitioners, since they could develop further research and CDW management plans accordingly.