Review for Construction and Demolition Waste Materials and Control Practices in the US

Construction and demolition (C&D) waste is generated from the various construction activities. The disposal of C&D waste materials in landfills can adversely affect the environment and human health and is not viable economically. Also, C&D waste materials left on construction sites can threaten the safety of construction workers. The application of strategic C&D waste management practices is essential for sustainable management of limited resources and thereby can benefit the environment, economy, and public safety. The objective of this paper was to explore various waste management practices to control C&D waste and the current status of C&D waste management in the United States (US) through a literature review. As a result, this paper presented clear descriptions of the C&D waste management practices in the EPA waste management hierarchy, employing a few examples. The 2018 C&D waste data from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) were utilized to understand the current status of the C&D waste management in the US. The C&D waste management practices feasible for a few sluggish materials for next-use were presented to raise the recovery rate of C&D waste in the US. The findings of this study can be summarized as follows: (1) the C&D waste recovery rate in the US was below the average of some developed countries; (2) the recovery rates of some waste materials negatively affected the overall C&D waste recovery rate; and (3) the C&D waste management needs more strategic commitment to the upper-level practices in the waste management hierarchy.