Recycling of Construction and Demolition Waste - Essay Example

Recycling of Construction and Demolition Waste in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries RECYCLING OF CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION OF WASTE IN THE GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRIES Titus Rock Manickam Order No. 290609 22 April 2009 Table of Contents Introduction………………………………………………………….3 The Gulf Scenario…………………………………………………...4 Environmental impacts……………………………………………...6 Need for efficient waste management system………………………7 A Viable Alternative………………………………………………...8 The Ideal Solution…………………………………………………..10 Conclusion………………………………………………………….12 Sources……………………………………………………………..13 RECYCLING OF CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION OF WASTE IN THE GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRIES Introduction One of the major problems any nation has to face today is the need for disposal of solid waste. Solid waste is not only an eyesore but it is also an indication of poor planning and development. If it is not handled fast and efficient, it can mar the aesthetics of a region that has taken so much pain and passion to build. Rich natural sources create vibrant economies resulting in real estate boom and this not only create towns and cities but also construction waste. Currently, approximately 120 million tons of waste is produced in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries (GCC) putting the region in the top ten worldwide ranking of the biggest waste producers per capita. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia produce the most waste. It is estimated that 55 percent of this total waste comes from construction and demolition, 20 percent from municipal waste, 18 percent from industrial waste, and 7 percent from hazardous waste. The rapid development in the region, population growth, industrial diversification and construction activities combined have led forecasters to predict that the Middle East will invest billions of dollars in waste management sector over the next few years (Summit to focus on waste control). Basically, there are two types of construction wastes. The first one is obviously caused due to some construction work undertaken at different places from time to time as economies improve. The second construction waste happens when there is large scale urbanization of locations when along with residential buildings there are construction of infrastructure such as roads, bridges, bus depots, railway stations, hospitals, sports stadiums and even airports. Construction waste on a large scale, if not managed properly, can prove to be an irritant and challenge to the environment. Dust pollutants, noise, asthmatic attacks, and mounds after mounds of waste material dot the landscape in this scenario. It is imperative that these wastes are immediately carted away and disposed so that they leave room for fresh wastes until the complete construction has taken place. It is necessary to manage construction waste profitably so that it is not detrimental to environment and creates additional revenue (Government to tackle demolition waste). The Gulf Scenario A booming economy naturally raises living standards and styles. It brings about a sea change in the landscape. Places where there were dry and arid land, towns and cities containing swanky buildings and industries arise. There are office and residential buildings, swanky malls, roads, bridges, schools, places of entertainment, sports stadiums, hospitals, railway stations, and airports. The fast industrialization and urbanization during the past few decades in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries are the result of oil and natural gas revenues these regions produce. Indeed, the place is so rich in mineral oil and natural gas that some regions like Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have become replete with massive plans for large scale constructions. In few decades from now, these places could be among the world best in terms of development and management. However, these construction activities are also leaving millions of tons of wastes that are disposed of through cheap landfills and disposal sites. These landfills and disposal sites are soon filled up and soon there is no place left to serve as dumping grounds for these wastes. Construction wastes in the GCC are normally collected and transported from various locations in the country and disposed at various municipal landfills. These counties generate millions of tons of construction waste each year. None of the GCC countries have an integrated strategy for sustainable management of construction waste. However, some countries like Dubai and Bahrain have ideal policies for waste management and they have begun implementing these by bringing in waste management through recycling techniques. The municipal councils in the GCC countries spend major financial resources on construction waste management. But in spite of these efforts and huge costs, the service coverage is barely keeping pace with the soaring waste quantities. Due to land availability, land filling of existing municipal waste is considered as popular waste disposal method in the GCC countries compared with other technical choices of incineration, gasification and composting. The GCC consisting of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, are rich in hydrocarbons and with economies heavily invested in oil and gas, face a particularly daunting challenge in diversifying. An analysis of the GCC identifies a link between economic diversification and economic growth. Diversification can reduce a nation’s economic volatility and increase its real activity performance (Emmanuelle Landais). Environmental impacts Construction and demolition wastes pose big challenge to the environment. When new cities and suburbs are built they create waste as a result of waste from fresh constructions or demolitions of old buildings. It results in the contamination of the environment with solid wastes and also dust pollutants and noise. Apart from the environmental impacts, there is a toll on the health of human beings and wildlife. There is physical and mental strain caused due to noise and other forms of pollution that construction waste leaves. On the whole, the various environmental impacts caused by construction wastes are impairment of area aesthetics and visual quality, pollution of soil, air and water resources, traffic impacts due to congestion, accidents, hindrances in movements, etc, dust generation and dispersion, increase in birds hazards, proliferation of vermins, insects, rodents and disease causing organisms, noise generation, impact on topography, geology and landscape, occupational health hazards, impact on adjacent properties, impact on terrestrial and marine ecology. Considering the impact of construction and demolition wastes on the environment and the disturbing placement of GCC countries as among the top ten producers of wastes in the world, it is necessary to actively pursue recycling of wastes as the best form of limiting wastes. Nonetheless, there is a long way to go for recycling of wastes becomes the norm in the GCC. Construction wastes continue to be disposed at landfills on a large scale. Some regions like Dubai and Abu Dhabi have started signing agreements with international corporations for recycling of wastes. However, much more needs to be done by GCC to handle these wastes and stabilize their environment (Waste: A Problem of Plenty). Need for efficient waste management system Fast industrialization, urbanization, increased population growth, swift commercialization and rise in general standard of living is responsible for generating a host of environment problems of which construction waste and its management is one of the major issues. Society and urban planners are searching for improved and feasible methods of waste management and ways to reduce the amount of waste that needs to be transported, disposed, treated and landfilled. The increased quantities of waste, limited municipal resources, easy availability of land for land fills are the chief causes for the slow move towards recycling of construction waste. Building constructions over the decades outlive their utility due to actual aging or the need for reconstruction. Sometimes it is possible that the construction is flawed and the edifice has to be brought down. Ultimately, the construction has to be brought down to make way for a new building. At times, there is the need to demolish the entire neighborhood to construct a complete set of new buildings. Recycling concrete wastes will lead to reduction in valuable landfill space and savings in natural resources. It is the most cost-effective and environment-friendly method of handling wastes without adversely impacting the atmosphere. Recycling of construction waste is the most efficient form of waste management system. Today, atmospheric pollution is a big issue and recycling is one single method where apart from managing waste the recycling process creates a prospective industry generating employment and revenues. The technology of managing construction waste also leaves less scope for pollution and creates more room for innovation and diversifications. Efficient waste management system of construction waste also leaves an exemplary trail for management systems of other wastes. It is an important development for the green environment. Now there is hardly any place left in the globe where effect of environmental degradation is not felt (Sami W. Tabsh and Akmal S.Abdelfatah). A Viable Alternative Recycling waste is the widely accepted method for abolishing waste and bringing about a safer environment. The purpose of recycling is to put to use something that will otherwise lie unused and waste. This method ensures maximum use of resources that would otherwise waste away. In terms of cost and management, recycling may be momentarily expensive. However, its long term benefits must be analyzed in the context of deteriorating landscape due to extensive landfills. We have only so much land space and it is not feasible to dispose construction waste through indiscriminate use of landfills. Solid waste recycling should be integrated with other solid waste management options to abate degradation in urban environment. This can be accomplished through promotion of economically efficient and environmentally sound practices in managing municipal waste. Recycling can be promoted by encouraging separation at the source. Some of the Gulf Co-operation Council member states have placed recycling at the top of their waste management priorities. However, the low cost of landfill and the availability of land make recycling program infeasible, uneconomical and unachievable. The only comprehensive form of recycling available within the GCC states is recycling of paper and cartons. The majority of the GCC states never set national or regional recycling targets. The cost of recycling in the GCC states region could be moderate to high according to the collection system selected for the recycling program. Government policies on the environment exist but are poorly implemented. Governments of the GCC nations are not in position to tolerate such apathy. They need a system in place that will address the problem of construction waste as soon as it occurs and make good use of the material that is seen as waste. Public enlightenment programs lack the needed coverage, intensity and continuity to correct the apathetic public attitude towards the environment. This paper provides strategies for developing the most effective recycling marketing program. Nonetheless, recycling of construction waste has become very important in view of the large amount of wastes produced, inadequacies of the present mode of waste disposal and the importance of recycling to the environment and industry. The governments in the region are looking at alternatives to handle construction wastes and the best among these is recycling waste. Recycling of construction waste serves as the most viable means of managing large scale wastes that becomes a process to creatively manage and use wastes as raw material to produce something else. The ongoing process of creating something sustainable and useful from demolition wastes leaves the environment less polluted and generates jobs and revenues for the economy. This process is huge enough for government at different levels from top to the bottom to be involved. It requires the top level central government to frame policies and provide funds and fixes the responsibility of overseeing the disposal process to the local government agencies. This process requires facilities and transport to store and recycle demolitions wastes after ensuring their transportation from site to the facility. Thus, governments in these regions are funding projects to build and operate demolition waste facilities to tackle mountains of construction wastes. These facilities will divert large amounts of waste consisting of concrete, plastics, wood, ceramics and metals and utilize them for construction of aggregates that can be used to pave roads and make bricks and cement. Oil and gas revenues in the Arab world have enabled exceptional and accelerated development in all aspects of life. These countries have become centers for intense activity in geopolitical, military, economic, industrial, construction, and tourism. Recycling of solid waste is not an easy option where cost of landfill is low and availability of land is abundant to dispose waste (Government to tackle demolition waste). The Ideal Solution The time has come when you do not think of construction left-over as waste but as resource. In developing economies, we do not think of old newspapers, bottles and other paraphernalia as wastes but we think of them as recyclable material capable of generating revenues. Similarly, the material that is generated through building demolitions or unusable articles of new constructions must be counted as recyclable resources and carted away for such use. The new generation must be educated on the utility of these resources so that the idea that these resources are wastes is eradicated for good. The economic boom in the GCC countries is the best test to research and find quick solutions to the problem of construction waste. The specter of construction waste must not outweigh the gains of economic progress. There is a price to pay for progress. The price is responsibility and restraint. The best way of exercising this responsibility is by steadily introducing enough recycling projects in the GCC region to handle construction wastes. At the moment, there does not appear any alternative to recycling to handle construction wastes. There is tremendous pressure to use recycling technology to curb wastes and undesirable factors such as landfills. In fact, the need to promote this technology has grabbed enough attention in the western world to make governments in these places implement such technologies wherever required to avert disasters. The position of the GCC members as among the top ten in the world in generating waste has provided these countries the impetus to implement measures to reduce wastes. Some of these countries have already signed agreements for recycling projects to handle wastes. However, much more needs to be done. What is needed is for every region to have a recycling project within range where wastes could be suitably transported to. It is not enough to have a few projects scattered at distant corners. The technology for recycling of construction waste is improving all the time. It is not possible to recycle each and every article of waste. There may be some portion of these wastes that needs to be consigned to the incinerator. However, it is possible to reduce these portions through improvements in technology. Ultimately, the oil and gas in GCC will reduce and this is the right time to analyze how much urbanization the region can tolerate. Accordingly, the mechanism for recycling concrete wastes can be calculated so that it becomes possible to organize large scale construction and demolition wastes without resorting to large scale landfills. Conclusion The heat and dust of the construction work in the GCC region will take quite a while to settle down. The GCC is doing quite well as the resourceful center of the world’s requirement of energy. The best brains of the world are concentrated in the construction work and diversification of this region. This trend will continue for many more decades to come. I wish to be positive and I am satisfied that the governments in these countries are considering recycling as the best way to handle construction wastes. They will have to be determined in their actions and executions. It is only disciplined and determined decisions that will result in balancing the effects of the problem of plenty. Sources: A comprehensive evaluation of solid waste management in Kuwait, Inderscience Publishers, http://inderscience.metapress.com/app/home/contribution.asp?referrer=parent&backto=issue,5,6;journal,10,16;linkingpublicationresults,1:112383,1 Emmanuelle Landais, Construction wastes ‘needs attention’, Gulf News, http://archive.gulfnews.com/indepth/notoplastic/more_stories/10223158.html Government to tackle demolition waste, Today’s News Stories, 10.2.2009, UAE Interact, http://uaeinteract.com/docs/Government_to_tackle_demolition_waste/34203.htm Mohamed A. Raouf, Water Issues in the Gulf: Time for Action, The Middle East Institute Policy Brief, January 2009, http://www.mideasti.org/files/Water-Issues-Gulf.pdf Mohamed Abdel Raouf Abdel Hamid, Climate Change in the Arab World: Threats and Responses, http://www.stimson.org/rv/pdf/Troubled_Waters/Troubled_Waters-Chapter_4_Hamid.pdf Rehan Ahmed & A. Karim Rashid, Development of Integrated & Sustainable Municipal Waste Management System in Bahrain, http://publications.ksu.edu.sa/Conferences/Behrain%20Conference%202006/36.doc Sami W. Tabsh and Akmal S.Abdelfatah, Influence of recycled concrete aggregates on strength properties of concrete, linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0950061808001785 Summit to focus on waste control, Trade Arabia Business News Information, 09 April 2009, https://www.tradearabia.com/NEWS/newsdetails.asp?Sn=ECO&artid=159418 Waste: A Problem of Plenty, http://nationalprojects.com.kw/press/files/Qatar_Today_Magazine_Interview.pdf Read More