Critical Success Factors for Construction and Demolition Waste Management in Pearl River Delta of China

Numerous new construction and demolition and relocation projects in China associated with the rapid economic development have produced a large amount of construction and demolition (C&D) waste, which urgently calls for better and more efficient management. The generation of C&D waste is associated with the waste management on construction sites. Since many factors influence C&D waste management, it is necessary to make in-depth study of them in order to realize efficient C&D waste management. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the Critical Success Factors (CSFs) of C&D waste management in China. To address the issue of C&D waste management, the authors chose the building construction projects in the Pearl River Delta of China as the survey object. We conducted a questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews with practitioners (e. g., supervision engineers and structural engineers), researchers, and government officials for tackling C&D waste management. Based on the survey and the interviews, we identified Six CSFs for managing C&D waste: (1) C&D Waste Management Regulations; (2) Awareness of C&D Waste Management; (3) Low-waste Construction Technology; (4) Fewer Design Changes; (5) Research and Development in C&D Waste Management; and (6) Vocational Training in C&D Waste Management. These CSFs can serve as valuable references for building project actors to develop effective C&D waste management strategies. This research also provides information to reduce environmental pollution coming from C&D waste.