CONSTRUCTION WASTE MANAGEMENT IN MALAYSIA 1.0 INTRODUCTION

The construction industry is one of the main contributors towards the development of nations, providing the necessary infrastructure and physical structures for activities such as commerce, services and utilities. The industry generates employment opportunities and injects money into a nations economy by creating foreign and local investment opportunities .

However, despite these contributions, the construction industry has also been linked to global warming, environmental pollution and degradation (Jones & Greenwood, 2009). Construction waste generation and unsustainable use of depleting natural resources as building materials, are also linked to the adverse environmental impacts of the construction industry. Globally, it is estimated that approximately 10 to 30 per cent of wastes disposed off in landfills originates from construction and demolition activities in Malaysia, construction waste is one the single largest waste stream and yet despite a number of government policy initiatives to address this issue, sustainable resource and waste management on site remains a low priority for the majority of the contractors. This study explores the Malaysian contractors perspective in relation to sustainable resource and waste management and in particular the application of a more structured management framework, based on the Construction Waste Management Plan (CWMP) approach. The paper examines what appetite there might be for the adoption of CWMP, to explore the industrys level of awareness and commitment to sustainable waste management, to identify current barriers and suggest future recommendations for an implementation strategy. The paper concludes with recommendations for the formulation of a Malaysian CWMP, based on the empirical findings of this investigation.

As urbanization continues to take place, the management of construction waste is becoming a major public health and environmental concern in urban areas of many developing countries. The concern is serious, particularly in the capital city of Malaysia, which is the gateway to the countries for foreign diplomats, businessmen, and tourists. Poor visual appearance of the city will have negative impacts on official and tourist visits and foreign investment.

Recognizing its importance, a number of developing countries have requested collaboration of external support agencies, both bilateral and multilateral, in improving of waste management system in their cities in the last 20 years or so. Although some projects succeeded in providing lasting positive impacts on the management of construction waste in the recipient countries and cities, many failed to continue activities after the external support agencies ceased their support. This unsustainability of collaborative projects is due to various technical, financial, institutional, economic, and social constraints faced by both the recipient countries/cities.CONSTRUCTION WASTE MANAGEMENT IN MALAYSIA1

2.0 WHAT IS CONSTRUCTION WASTE

Construction, demolition and landclearing debris is all non-hazardous solid waste resulting from construction, demolition and landclearing activities. Construction,demolition and landclearing waste materials that can be salvaged, reused or recycled include, but are not limited to the following :

Roof tile Gypsum board Timber & woodBrick Insulation Plastic film & vinylCardboardLandclearing debrisWindow glassCarpet and padMetal and steel Site office waste (paper, cans,Concrete Paint glass & plastic bottles)

3.0 CONSTRUCTION WASTE MANAGEMENT

The ideal of construction waste management method is by recycling. Most construction waste goes into landfills, increasing the burden on landfill loading and operation. Waste from sources such as solvents or chemically treated wood can result in soil and water pollution.

Some materials can be recycled directly into the same product for re-use. Others can be reconstituted into other usable products. Unfortunately, recycling that requires reprocessing is not usually economically feasible unless a facility using recycled resources is located near the material source. Many construction waste materials that are still usable can be donated to non-profit organizations. This keeps the material out of the landfill and supports a good cause.

The most important step for recycling of construction waste is on-site separation. Initially, this will take some extra effort and training of construction personnel. Once separation habits are established, on-site separation can be done at little or no additional cost.

The initial step in a construction waste reduction strategy is good planning. Design should be based on standard sizes and materials should be ordered accurately. Additionally, using high quality materials such as engineered products reduces rejects such as R.C Precast Industrilised Building System (IBS) by usage of prefabricated components. This approach can reduce the amount of material needing to be recycled and bolster profitability and economy for the builder and customer.

IBS building IBS Coloumn

IBS concrete stair IBS building

3.1 MATERIALS SEPARATION, RECYCLING & WASTE MINIMIZATION

Containers for material recycling must be set up on site and clearly labeled. Construction personnel must be trained in material sorting policy, and bins must be monitored periodically to prevent waste mixing as a result of crews or passerby throwing trash into the bins.Some materials will require bins or storage that protect from rain. Other bins may be locked to prevent tampering.

(a) Timber and wood

i. Optimize building dimensions to correspond to standard timber dimensions.

ii. Modify framing details to optimize timber use and reduce waste and inform framing contractor of your plan.

iii. Develop detailed framing layouts to avoid waste when ordering timber.

iv. Store timber on level blocking under cover to minimize warping, twisting and waste.

v. Set aside timber and plywood cut-offs that can be used later as fire blocking, spacers in header construction, etc.

vi. In remodeling, evaluate whether salvaging used timber is possible.

vii. Save clean sawdust for use in compost piles or around gardens. Avoid sawdust that might contain painted or treated wood. This should be bagged separately.

(b) Gypsum board

i. Order gypsum board in optimal dimensions to minimize cut-off waste. Gypsum board is available in different lengths, and designed dimensions should correspond to standard sizes.

ii. Large gypsum board scraps can be set aside during hanging for use as filler pieces in areas such as closets.

iii. Technology exists, although it is not available in Malaysia at this time, for recycling gypsum board into textured wall sprays, acoustical coatings, gypsum stucco, fire barriers, or agricultural products.

iv. Reuse joint compound buckets for tool or material storage.

(c) Masonry

i. Estimate masonry material needs carefully to avoid waste.

ii. During construction, collect, stack and cover brick and other masonry materials to prevent soiling or loss.

iii. Salvage usable bricks, blocks, slate shingles, tile and other masonry materials from remodeling and construction. Store for future jobs or divert to salvage operations.

iv. Check to see if masonry supplier will accept the return of materials in good condition.Clean concrete chunks, old brick, broken blocks, and other masonry rubble can be buried on-site during foundation back-filling.

v. Good quality used concrete (also known as urbanite) can also be used as brick or block for landscaping walls and foundations for small buildings.

(d) Metals and steel

i. During remodeling, separate metal radiators, grates, piping, aluminum siding, and old appliances for salvage or recycling.

ii. Consider a front yard sale of usable items during the construction process.

iii. During construction, separate metals for recycling, including copper piping, wire and flashing; aluminum siding, flashing and guttering; iron and steel banding from bundles, nails and fasteners, galvanized flashing and roofing, and rebar; and lead chimney flashing. It is critical to keep lead out of landfills because it could leach into groundwater.

(e) Cardboard and paper

i. Avoid excessively packaged materials and supplies. However, be sure packaging is adequate to prevent damage and waste.

ii. Separate cardboard waste, bundle, and store in a dry place and can be recycled.

iii. Minimize the number of blueprints and reproductions necessary during the design and construction process.

(f) Insulation

i. Install left-over insulation in interior wall cavities or on top of installed attic insulation if it can not be used on another job.

(g) Plastic film & vinyl

i. Minimize waste of plastic film, vinyl siding, flooring, UPVC and countertop materials by ordering only quantity needed.

ii. Trash bags and plastic sheeting can be recycled.

4.0 CONSTRAINTS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRY OF MALAYSIA

A typical construction waste management system in a developing country displays an array of problems, including low collection coverage and irregular collection services, crude open dumping and burning without air and water pollution control, the breeding of flies and vermin, and the handling and control of informal waste picking or scavenging activities. These public health, environmental, and management problems are caused by various factors which constrain the development of effective construction waste management systems. They can be categorized into technical, financial, institutional, economic, and social constraints. Each of these constraints is in relation to the sustainability of solid waste collaborative projects as listed below:-

(a) Technical Constraints

i. In most developing countries, there typically is a lack of human resources at both the national and local levels with technical expertise necessary for waste management planning and operation. Many officers in charge of waste management, particularly at the local level, have little or no technical background or training in engineering or management. Without adequately trained personnel, a project initiated by external consultants could not be continued. Therefore, the development of human resources in the recipient country of external support is essential for the sustainability of the collaborative project.

ii. Another technical constraint in developing countries is the lack of overall plans for waste management at the local and national levels. As a result, a solid waste technology is often selected without due consideration to its appropriateness in the overall of waste management system. In some cases, foreign assistance is given to a component of a construction waste management system for which the use of resources may not be most cost-effective. For instance, an external support agency provided its support to improve a general disposal site. However, the coverage of solid waste collection service is so low that solid waste generated is dumped at many undesignated sites (e.g., open areas, water channels, streets, etc.). As a result, improving the disposal site, although it may not be a bad project, would have little impact on the overall waste management effectiveness. In such a case, the low collection coverage is a bottleneck in the overall construction waste management system in the city, and it would be most cost-effective to provide resources to upgrade the collection service.

iii. Research and development activities in waste management are often a low priority in developing countries. The lack of research and development activities in developing countries leads to the selection of inappropriate technology in terms of the local climatic and physical conditions, financial and human resource capabilities, and social or cultural acceptability. As a result, the technology selected can never be used, wasting the resources spent and making the project unsustainable. Several guides/manuals on appropriate waste management technologies in developing countries are available in the literature, and the selection of technology could be made sometimes based on these guides/manuals. However, in most cases, these guides/manuals must be modified to the local conditions prevailing in the country, and therefore local studies are normally still needed. Such studies can be relatively easily incorporated into a collaborative project and, to the extent possible, should involve local research institutions.

(b) Financial Constraints

i. In general, waste management is given a very low priority in developing countries, except perhaps in capital and large cities. As a result, very limited funds are provided to the waste management sector by the governments, and the levels of services required for protection of public health and the environment are not attained.

ii. The problem is acute at the local government level where the local taxation system is inadequately developed and, therefore, the financial basis for public services, including construction waste management, is weak. This weak financial basis of local governments can be supplemented by the collection of user service charges. However, users' ability to pay for the services is very limited in poorer developing countries, and their willingness to pay for the services which are irregular and ineffective is not high either. An effective strategy for raising funds needs to be searched in any collaborative project to ensure its sustainability.

iii. In addition to the limited funds, many local governments in developing countries lack good financial management and planning. The lack of financial management and planning, particularly cost accounting, depletes the limited resources available for the sector even more quickly, and causes the waste management services to halt for some periods, thus losing the trust of service users.

(c) Institutional Constraints

i. Several agencies at the national level are usually involved at least partially in construction waste management. However, there are often no clear roles/functions of the various national agencies defined in relation to waste management and also no single agency or committee designated to coordinate their projects and activities. The lack of coordination among the relevant agencies often results in different agencies becoming the national counterpart to different external support agencies for different waste management collaborative projects without being aware of what other national agencies are doing. This leads to duplication of efforts, wasting of resources, and unsustainability of overall construction waste management programmes.

ii. The lack of effective legislation for construction waste management, which is a norm in most developing countries, is partially responsible for the roles/functions of the relevant national agencies not being clearly defined and the lack of coordination among them.

iii. Because of a low priority given to the sector, the institutional capacity of local government agencies involved in solid waste management is generally weak, particularly in small cities and towns. Local ordinance/by-laws on construction waste management is not also well developed. These weak local government institutions are not provided with clear mandates and sufficient resources to fulfil the mandates. In large metropolitan areas where there are more than one local government, coordination among the local governments is critical to achieve the most cost-effective alternatives for solid waste management in the area. For instance, the siting of a solid waste transfer station or disposal facility for use by more than one local governments is cost-effective due to its economy of scale. The lack of a coordinating body among the local governments often leads to disintegrated and unsustainable programmes for construction waste management.

(d) Economic Constraints

i. Economic and industrial development play key roles in waste management. Obviously, an enhanced economy enables more funds to be allocated for waste management, providing a more sustainable financial basis. However, by definition, developing countries have weak economic bases and, hence, insufficient funds for sustainable development of construction waste management systems.

ii. Local industry which produces relatively inexpensive solid waste equipment and vehicles will reduce, or in some cases could eliminate totally, the need for importing expensive foreign equipment/vehicles and therefore foreign exchange. Such local industry can also supply associated spare parts, lack of which is often responsible for irregular and insufficient waste collection and disposal services.

iii. However, the lack of industry manufacturing solid waste equipment and spare parts and a limited foreign exchange for importing such equipment/spare parts are the rule rather than exception in developing countries.

(e) Social Constraints

i. The social status of solid waste management workers is generally low in both developed and developing countries, but more so in developing countries then developed countries. This owes much to a negative perception of people regarding the work which involves the handling of waste or unwanted material. Such people's perception leads to the disrespect for the work and in turn produces low working ethics of laborers and poor quality of their work.

ii. Because of insufficient resources available in the government sector, collaborative projects often have attempted to mobilize community resources and develop community self-help activities. Results are a mixture of success and failures. Failed projects with inactive communities usually did not provide people in the community with economic as well as social incentives to participate in activities. The social incentive is based on the responsibility of individuals as part of the community for the improvement of the community, and is created by public awareness and school education programmes. The lack of public awareness and school education about the importance of proper waste management for health and well-being of people severely restricts the use of community-based approaches in developing countries.

5.0 BENEFITS OF CONSTRUCTION WASTE MANAGEMENT

Recycling and reuse of materials have long been associated with wise construction practices. Experienced contractors are now reaping the economic advantages of Construction Waste Management. Communities are also seeing the side benefits as listed below:-

(a)Trim costs

i. You can cut your costs by using materials more effectively, reducing the amount of waste you need to dispose of and improving the efficiency of your staff and contractors. You may then be able to offer your services at a lower price to try and win more tenders.

ii. Actively reducing waste from your construction projects can also differentiate your business from your competitors by becoming a 'green' builder. Clients who are aware of the impact that waste can have on their costs and public image are increasingly seeking to use contractors that understand and pursue reductions in waste.

iii. Recycling, reusing, and salvaging construction waste can save money. Many of the contractors that have embraced Construction Waste Management have made changes to their operations and practices to take advantage of reduced waste disposal costs and revenues derived from recycle, reuse and salvage materials. Utilizing reuse and salvage methods on site reduce the need for new materials, reduces materials that end up in the landfill, creates a cleaner and safer project site, and improves community relations.

Crushergrinding machine Recycled waste wood

Soft board by recycled wood Recycled chair (plastic)

Recycling crushing plant Recycled aggregates stockpile

Recycled aggregate Recycled floor tile

Recycled bricks Recycled precast concrete product

b) Environmental benefits

i. The study shows that waste minimisation is economically feasible and also plays an important role for the improvement of environmental management. In this view, economic instruments for minimising construction waste can be used to raise revenue for environmental policy, encourage prevention efforts, serve to discourage the least desirable disposal practices, as well as to avoid the negative consequences of environmental unfriendly treatment and disposal practices of construction waste materials.

ii. Environmental benefits also result from recycling and waste prevention programs. In the long run, preventing waste reduces dependence on natural resources such as trees, oil, and minerals plus creates less pollution by reducing manufacturing and transportation related emissions. Reduction of the energy and water required to produce building supplies from virgin materials contributes to reduced greenhouse gasses related to the manufacturing and transportation of those materials.

iii. Salvaging materials through waste management helps reducing the burden on landfills, which have already reached their capacity in many localities. By focusing on the reuse and recycling of existing materials, waste management system preserves the invested energy embodied in materials, eliminating the need to expend additional energy to process new materials.

(c ) Safety and health benefits

i. The goal of occupational construction waste management is to foster a safe and healthy work environment.As secondary effects, may also protect co-workers, employers, customers, suppliers, nearby communities, and other members of the public who are impacted by the workplace environment as well as reduce medical care, sick leave and disability benefit costs.

ii. Developing and implementing a comprehensive construction waste management program ensures that staff will know and follow proper disposal requirements, leading to a healthier, safer environment and no major safety or health issued are associated with minimizing construction waste were identified.

6.0 CONCLUSIONS

Construction waste management plans provide a useful framework for the sustainable resource and waste management of construction waste, offering environmental, social and financial benefits. The aim of their implementation on site is to increase the resource efficiency of materials through recycling, reusing or recovering products before they are disposed, and reducing environmental problems, such as illegal dumping and open burning.

There are many proven benefits of construction waste management plans for contractors, such as cost and time savings, increased productivity on site, good corporate social responsibility and the ability to control the quality and ensure the safety of project sites as a result of a clean site environment.

However, despite these benefits construction waste management remains poorly implemented in construction projects in Malaysia, despite some promotion from the Government and CIDB. It is clear that more efforts are required by CIDB and the Government to promote and develop construction waste management plans into the local construction industry and contribute to the countrys aspirations for sustainable growth. Based on the results of this exploratory exercise guidance, practical tools, regulation and incentives are amongst the priorities highlighted by the Malaysian contractors.

7.0 REFERENCE

Characterization of Construction Site Waste (1993), Metro Solid Waste Department Portland, OR.)

Bartone, C.R. 1995. "The role of the private sector in developing countries: Keys to success. Paper presented at ISWA Conference on Waste Management.

UK. Welsh School of Architecture Jones, Phil & Greenwood, Rubina. (2009). Construction Waste Minimisation in Housing.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (2006). The study on national waste minimisation in Malaysia. CONSTRUCTION WASTE MANAGEMENT IN MALAYSIA3