Environmental Sustainability and Cost Benefit Analysis of Building Demolition Waste Management in Construction Projects for Nashik City

Abstract

This paper presents the management practices for construction and demolition waste within the construction sector of Nashik city, focusing specifically on residential and infrastructure projects. The analysis of the potential for reuse and recycling was conducted using descriptive statistics. The study evaluates three different structures performing questionnaire survey and estimate before and after the utilization of construction and demolition materials. The generation of construction and demolition waste has escalated due to the rapid urbanization of towns and cities. Due to the increase in the economic growth after development and redevelopment projects in the country and subsequent increase in the urbanization in the cities has made construction sector to increase drastically, but also environmental impacts from building demolition waste are increasingly becoming a major issue in urban solid waste management. Environmental issues such as increase in the flood levels due to the illegal dumping of construction and demolition waste into the rivers, resource depletion, shortage of landfill and illegal dumping on hill slopes are evident in the metro cities. The main aim of this research is to reduce the environmental impact of C&D activities by promoting sustainable practices like waste minimization, reuse, and recycling. The report highlights the necessity of recycling construction waste, raising awareness about waste management challenges, and promoting the availability of recycling technologies. This study concluded that effective management of construction and demolition waste presents a significant challenge in mitigating environmental risks, including air pollution, land degradation, and groundwater contamination. Recent developments indicate that federal stakeholders are increasingly cognizant of these issues, having implemented new policies, regulations, and programs to address them. At the level of Nashik city, progress has been minimal, and numerous obstacles remain. The rapid urbanization in India is expected to result in a significant rise in the amount of building demolition waste produced, alongside a shortage of resources for construction. Using construction and demolition waste effectively can lead to significant cost savings and environmental benefits. The result of residential project and infrastructure project shows that if we use construction and demolition waste materials in new construction then we can save 10.55 % cost in Laxmi Niwas, 11.98 % cost in CBS to Canada Corner – Model Road and 6.74% Sai Shraddha Bungalow. The case study highlights the critical need for effective construction and demolition (C&D) waste management. By optimizing waste reduction, reuse, and recycling processes, the study demonstrates significant environmental and economic benefits, emphasizing the importance of sustainable practices in the construction industry. The case study underscores the detrimental impacts of improper C&D waste disposal, such as landfill overuse, resource depletion, and environmental pollution. By promoting recycling and reuse, the study showcases how C&D waste can be transformed into valuable resources, reducing the strain on landfills and preserving natural resources. Recycling and reusing construction and demolition waste materials reduces the need for new materials, lowers transportation costs, and minimizes landfill use, all contributing to a more sustainable and cost-effective approach to construction. Effective C&D waste management can minimize the volume of waste generated on construction sites, leading to reduced waste disposal costs. This can be achieved through strategies like selective demolition and careful material selection.

Introduction

1. Background and Problem

The construction industry significantly contributes to economic growth, especially in developing countries. However, it also generates vast amounts of Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste, leading to serious environmental degradation, landfill overuse, and public health issues. In many places like Finland and Germany, 15% of C&D waste still ends up in landfills. In India, C&D waste accounts for 25-30% of total waste generated, reaching 150 million tons in 2024.

2. Environmental Impact

• Many construction materials are produced unsustainably and emit CO? during manufacturing.

• C&D waste includes concrete, brick, metals, glass, plastics, soil, and asphalt, often dumped illegally or mixed with municipal waste.

• Unmanaged waste leads to clogged drains, traffic issues, and excessive land use for dumping.

3. Sustainability in C&D Waste Management

C&D waste management supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by integrating:

• Environmental Sustainability: Reduce, reuse, and recycle waste to preserve natural resources.

• Social Sustainability: Improve worker safety, public health, and community involvement.

• Economic Sustainability: Create jobs, reduce raw material costs, and lower the burden on landfills.

4. Aim and Scope of the Study

• Aim: Reduce the environmental impact of C&D activities through reuse, recycling, and sustainable practices.

• Scope: Focused on Nashik city, examining C&D waste from construction, renovation, and demolition.

5. Methodology

A. Key Steps:

1. Literature review and project identification.

2. Select projects in Nashik for case studies.

3. Estimate project costs before and after using recycled materials.

4. Conduct questionnaire surveys at construction sites.

5. Analyze case studies and implement reuse/recycling strategies.

B. Sample Projects:

• Project 1: Laxmi Niwas – Residential building in Parijat Nagar.

• Project 2: Smart Road Project from CBS to Canada Corner – Infrastructure upgrade in Nashik.

6. Findings from Nashik Study

• Nashik generates 50–100 tons of C&D waste daily (~9187 MT annually).

• No recycling facility exists; most waste is landfilled.

• Six municipal divisions (e.g., Satpur, Cidco) have designated dumping sites.

• Materials include concrete, metal, wood, plaster, ceramics, asphalt, glass, and more.

Waste Source Breakdown:

7. Key Strategies for Sustainable C&D Waste Management

1. Reduction: Encourage reuse of existing structures and deconstruction over demolition.

2. Reuse: Recover usable materials from debris without extra processing.

3. Recycling: Process leftover waste into new construction materials.

4. Re-buy: Promote purchase of recycled materials (e.g., mandate 10% recycled content in new projects).

8. Objectives

• Survey types and quantities of C&D waste in Nashik.

• Evaluate project costs and environmental benefits with/without recycled materials.

• Analyze case studies from other cities.

• Propose implementation plans for C&D waste reuse and recycling in Nashik.

Conclusion

The following summarizes the conclusions of the study. 1) Effective management of construction and demolition waste presents a significant challenge in mitigating environmental risks, including air pollution, land degradation, and groundwater contamination. Recent developments indicate that federal stakeholders are increasingly cognizant of these issues, having implemented new policies, regulations, and programs to address them. At the level of Nashik city, progress has been minimal, and numerous obstacles remain. The rapid urbanization in India is expected to result in a significant rise in the amount of building demolition waste produced, alongside a shortage of resources for construction. 2) Using construction and demolition waste effectively can lead to significant cost savings and environmental benefits. The result of residential project and infrastructure project shows that if we use construction and demolition waste materials in new construction then we can save 10.55 % cost in Laxmi Niwas, 11.98 % cost in CBS to Canada Corner – Model Road and 6.74% Sai Shraddha Bungalow. 3) The case study highlights the critical need for effective construction and demolition (C&D) waste management. By optimizing waste reduction, reuse, and recycling processes, the study demonstrates significant environmental and economic benefits, emphasizing the importance of sustainable practices in the construction industry. The case study underscores the detrimental impacts of improper C&D waste disposal, such as landfill overuse, resource depletion, and environmental pollution. By promoting recycling and reuse, the study showcases how C&D waste can be transformed into valuable resources, reducing the strain on landfills and preserving natural resources. 4) Recycling and reusing construction and demolition waste materials reduces the need for new materials, lowers transportation costs, and minimizes landfill use, all contributing to a more sustainable and cost-effective approach to construction. Effective C&D waste management can minimize the volume of waste generated on construction sites, leading to reduced waste disposal costs. This can be achieved through strategies like selective demolition and careful material selection.

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Kiran N. Marathe, Dr. M. P. Kadam. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.