Key indicators for assessing the effectiveness of waste management in construction projects

Effective construction and demolition (C&D) waste management is indispensable to the attainment of sustainable construction. Many endeavors so far have been made to assess C&D waste management. However, the majority of efforts have been attempted to investigate C&D waste management from an economic point of view, while very few studies have been focused on the environmental and social aspects, which are imperative to promote effective C&D waste management. This paper identifies 30 key indicators affecting the overall effectiveness of C&D waste management from a holistic perspective and develops a C&D waste management effectiveness assessment framework by integrating the key indicators identified. The assessment framework not only deepens understanding of effectiveness of C&D waste management, but also provides a concrete base for future research in assessing the effectiveness of C&D waste management quantitatively.

► We identify 30 key indicators affecting effective C&D waste management.
► A C&D waste management effectiveness assessment framework is developed.
► The framework can be used to further assess C&D waste management quantitatively.