Abstract
Population growth, industrialization and infrastructure
development have continued to result in large amounts of
construction and demolition waste (CDW) been dumped in landfills.
The various enormous construction, demolition, remodeling,
restructuring, renovation and repairs on domestic and industrial
buildings as well as projects on infrastructure growth generate vast
amounts of CDW considered low risk but of high volume. In South
Africa and other African countries, CDW often ends up in landfills
for lack of feasible recycling and reuse options. Considering the
quantity of CDW insistently generated, it is expected that these
wastes are converted to wealth if appreciated as useful resource for
energy recovery, recycling or reuse. The need for recycling and reuse
alternatives have increased in recent years with pressing concerns on
the impacts of landfill disposal of CDW on the environment and
human health. Irrespective of growing concerns, it is clear that
landfilling will remain the main waste management disposal system
for CDW in the foreseeable future. Hence, the study pinpoints the
importance of recycling and reusing CDW towards beneficial
outcomes. CDW can be profitably harnessed if properly sorted,
crushed and sieved using the cheapest appropriate technology
possible for concrete works. If well established, recycling and reuse
alternatives can be efficiently implemented by incorporation into
concrete technology with keen eyes for low cost housing schemes for
social benefits.