Enhancing a circular economy for construction and demolition waste management in China: A stakeholder engagement and key strategy approach

Abstract

China's construction and demolition waste has been substantially increasing due to the country's urbanization. However, since the recycling rate of construction and demolition waste is still much lower in China compared to most developed countries, its construction industry still relies heavily on natural resource consumption and is very much a linear economy. Although a circular economy for construction and demolition waste management has been promoted by the government in recent years, the transition from open-ended to close-looped circularity for construction and demolition waste management strategies have not been fully investigated. This study therefore identifies stakeholder engagement and closed-loop key strategies as part of a circular economy for construction and demolition waste management in China. Integrated approaches are used to achieve the aim of this study including literature review, semi-structured interview, questionnaire survey, and causal loop diagram development. The stakeholder engagement and key strategies were identified through literature review, semi-structured interviews, questionnaire survey, and statistical analysis. A causal loop diagram was then developed to demonstrate the interconnection and causal effect between stakeholders and key strategies. The findings reveal that stakeholder engagement and key strategies are highly interrelated for achieving closed-loop construction and demolition waste management. Government ranks as the most important stakeholder engagement, and improving secondary material quality and value is the most important key strategies. This study provides insights for practitioners and academics alike to help understand the interrelationship between stakeholder engagement and key strategies as part of a circular economy for construction and demolition waste management in China.