The development of an audit methodology to generate construction waste production indicators for the Irish construction industry

Abstract

This study develops waste production indicators for the Irish construction industry. Construction and demolition waste (C & DW ) was conservatively estimated to account for approximately 13.1 percent of all waste produced in Ireland in 2004 (E P A , 2005a). This was equal to 11.2 million tonnes making it the second-highest waste producing It is recommended that the new audit tool and generated indicators be incorporated into a voluntary waste information system to facilitate the benchmarking of waste production on construction and demolition projects in Ireland sector behind agriculture. This estimate was based on construction and demolition waste collected and managed at licensed and permitted facilities throughout the country. There was no data available on construction and demolition waste production from Irish construction projects sites. An original audit tool was designed and tested on 58 construction projects throughout the country generating waste production indicators (kg/m0 ) for new construction in 2005. These factors were applied to estimated construction output to benchmark national waste production in 2005. Two detailed surveys were also carried out to assess the management and collection of C&D W in 2005. A set of waste production indicators for new construction was produced: 70.27 kg/m2 for new residential construction. 86.82 kg/m for new private non-residential construction. 138.94 kg/m for new social infrastructure construction. 48.48 kg/m2 for new productive infrastructure construction. A compositional analysis identified inert waste (excluding excavated materials); wood; paper, plastics and packaging; and metals as the major contributors to the construction waste stream. The indicators were applied to construction output to produce a total national construction and demolition waste estimate of 20.8 million tonnes for 2005. Construction and demolition waste accounted for 12.3 million tonnes with soil and stones accounting for 8.5 million tonnes (E P A , 2005a). The licensed and permitted facilities survey identified a significant lack of data available on tonnages sent for processing and/or deposited to permitted sites within local authority functional areas. It is recommended that the new audit tool and generated indicators be incorporated into a voluntary waste information system to facilitate the benchmarking of waste production on construction and demolition projects in Ireland