Construction Waste: Quantification and Source Evaluation

TLDR

Construction and building activities generate a large share of waste, and reducing this waste is a key Dutch policy goal that also lowers disposal and material costs for firms. The study reviews Dutch sustainability policies, surveys literature on construction‑waste data, and quantifies waste generation in multiple residential projects. Approximately 1–10% of purchased construction materials become waste, with key contributors being product sizing, contractor practices, and design‑stage knowledge gaps.

Abstract

A significant part of waste generation is caused by the building and construction industry. Reduction of construction waste is therefore a major topic of the integrated chain management policy of the Dutch government. Construction companies benefit from reduced waste generation by lower deposition costs and lower purchasing costs of virgin materials. An overview is presented of the main policy areas of the Dutch government concerning sustainability. Reducing the generation of construction waste fits into this policy. Subsequently, an overview is presented from construction-waste data available in literature. Then, the waste generation during several Dutch residential construction projects has been quantified and analyzed in detail. It follows that about 1–10% by weight of the purchased construction materials, depending on the material, leave the site as waste. Furthermore, the analyses identify additional sources of waste generation as those already known, such as a lack of attention paid to the sizes of the used products, lack of influence of contractors, and lack of knowledge about construction during design activities.