Abstract
The concept of construction waste management was introduced a long time ago but the effort of waste minimization has, for the most part, merely been observed and not practiced. Additionally, an increasing allocation of landfills has indicated a growing production of waste. However, the allocation of funding or skills for the prevention of waste has been scarce as waste minimization has not been given enough attention. One such example is the undertaking of different stages of construction, which often does not account for future problems in construction waste. Hence, this study is intended to investigate common waste management practices on construction sites in Malaysia. As part of this investigation, site observations and questionnaires were conducted to collect information from the respondents. Comprehensive literature reviews also helped to understand the latest norms as well as previous practices in waste management. The results reflected that certain areas of knowledge and implementation showed great gaps with the same mistakes appearing frequently, pointing to the conclusion that known causes of excess waste are often not rectified and suggestions for improvement are not fully incorporated in standard practices.
Highlights
Construction is an industry that produces a significant amount of waste and construction sites produce waste as a result of the construction work being performed there
Two construction sites based in Pulau Pinang were chosen at random
The building has been under construction for half a year and is expected to achieve a gold rating on the Green Building Index (GBI)
Summary
Construction is an industry that produces a significant amount of waste and construction sites produce waste as a result of the construction work being performed there. In the context of direct waste, a mixture of surplus materials arising from any kind of construction work is produced, be it construction, site clearance, excavation, renovation or refurbishment. Previous researchers have defined waste as the loss of any kind of resource produced by activities which generate direct or indirect costs and do not add any value to the final product from the point of view of the client [2]. It is undeniable that the waste generated has caused an impact on the environment, building waste can hardly be recycled as it may be highly contaminated in the process of production or assembly. Building materials and inventory on site will contribute to waste generation if not handled properly and systematically [3]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
