Author(s)

S. A. Mahayuddin, J. J. Pereira, W. H. W. Badaruzzaman & M. B. Mokhtar

Abstract

Construction waste is a growing problem in both developing and developed countries, except that the nature of its generation and handling is country dependent. Developing countries are moving towards better construction waste management; however, there is still insufficient collection and improper disposal of construction waste. Construction waste represents large amounts of material that are often illegally dumped by roadsides, river banks and many other open spaces. This causes significant health and environmental problems as well as negative economic impacts on nearby properties. Urgent and immediate improvement of the construction waste disposal practices is necessary to meet the current demand for improved construction waste management. However, there is very little relevant information on disposal practices for construction waste at the municipal level, including its composition and the disposal site characteristics. A study has been conducted in Ipoh, one of the cities in Malaysia to fill the knowledge gap. The study focuses on construction waste disposal practices in the city, including the illegal dumping of construction waste. A survey has been conducted to investigate the construction waste disposed of at the legal and illegal dumpsites around the city. This paper presents a general overview of current construction waste management practices in Ipoh. It also describes the problems, issues and challenges faced by Ipoh based on the outcome of a recent study. This paper concludes with the identification of a series of potential ways to improve construction waste management at the municipal level. Keywords: construction waste, waste management, disposal, illegal dumping.

Keywords

construction waste, waste management, disposal, illegal dumping.