Investigation on the generation of construction wastes in Bangladesh

Abstract

The construction sector in Bangladesh is facing negative impacts on financial and environmental aspects due to excessive waste generation. The construction industry cannot function properly if its resources are being wasted abruptly. Therefore, this study aims to identify the construction waste-generating factors and develop construction waste management strategies for the construction industry of Bangladesh. This research was conducted through an extensive survey which was done by interviewing various construction professionals and reviewing existing literature rigorously. The survey was conducted on the basis of the Likert scale, and the waste-generating factors were prioritized using the Relative Importance Index (R.I.I). The factor identification revealed that ‘deposited material in a public place’ is the most significant waste generating factor on construction sites. In addition, improper material storage, lack of training of workers, solid waste, and the absence of proper guidelines for workers are also identified as the top reasons for construction waste. Furthermore, stakeholders’ opinions on construction waste minimization have revealed a huge opportunity to manage those potential waste generation factors in a project. This investigation would be able to picture out the whole waste generation scenario and suggest important waste management strategies in the context of the Bangladeshi construction sector.