An outlook on the management of construction and demolition waste in Brazil

Abstract

Construction and demolition (C&D) waste comes from engineering activities. In Brazil, thousands of tonnes of C&D waste are generated daily, and they are often clandestinely disposed of in vacant lots, riverbanks, and outskirts of cities. Most of the C&D waste generated in Brazilian cities could be fully recycled. This study aims to provide an outlook on the management of C&D waste in Brazil. A survey about the procedures related to C&D waste used in construction companies was carried out to evaluate the fulfilment of policies established by the Brazilian government. The leading causes of the generation of C&D waste and its characterisation were also shown. C&D waste collection, disposal, and recycling management among the Brazilian regions were compared. The results showed that C&D waste in Brazil is, in general, composed of mortar, concrete, wood and glass, and such a waste is placed on construction sites in a disorderly and mixed way. The C&D waste management is still incipient, and recycled materials lack more effective quality control for large-scale use. There is inequality in the management of C&D waste among the Brazilian regions. The southeast region has 65% of the recycling plants, while there is none in the north region. As for the C&D waste collected, the southeast region collects 52.1% of the total and the northern region, only 3.9%. It was observed that a more effective engagement of the Brazilian government is needed to improve both the collection system and the recycling practices.