Anthropogenic Stock as a Source of Raw Materials: Optimized Utilization of Recycled Building Materials to Conserve Resources

A review of spatial characteristics influencing circular economy in the built environment

“…In Vienna, improving the recycling rate would only reduce the use of primary resources by 7% (2) Sufficient anthropogenic materials do not necessarily promote material recyclability. Under technical limitations, secondary materials are applied to a minimal extent, and large amounts of low-quality recycled minerals have to be exported after satisfying local demand Austria Lederer et al ( 2020 ) Availability of land resources Availability of dumping sites The higher the available capacity of the landfill, the fewer possibilities there are for the material to be recycled Germany; the UK Casas-Arredondo et al ( 2018 ); Keßler and Knappe ( 2013 ) Adequate and weakly regulated landfills around the city reduce the material circularity Vietnam Hoang et al ( 2020 ); Lockrey et al ( 2016 ) Demand for materials Demand for natural materials Increased demand for materials can promote the use of secondary resources China Tang et al ( 2021 ) Demand for anthropogenic materials There is a higher capacity to process and produce recycled aggregates in areas with high demand for concrete Germany Tsydenova et al ( 2021 ) Low demand for secondary materials can hinder the circularity of materials Japan Hashimoto et al ( 2007 ) Density Density of population Aggregates recycling activities are located in areas with high population density The USA Robinson ( 2004 ); Robinson et al ( 2004 ) The density of construction and demolition activities Most of the C&D waste recycling activities are located in areas with intensive construction and demolition activities Germany; China Abdelshafy and Walther ( 2021 ...…”

“…We also summarized the impact of land resource availability, urbanization, and terrain on slowing. For instance, in Germany, building activities are constrained by limited land resources, which will lead to a greater focus on preserving and restoring existing buildings in the core areas of settlements (Keßler and Knappe 2013 ). The impact of urbanization dynamics on building activity is fundamental.…”

“…While recycling is a key method, landfilling is also a significant outflow. They can consume valuable land resources, and in areas with strict regulations, the capacity of legal landfills directly affects the rate of recycling due to their lower disposal costs compared to recycling (Keßler and Knappe 2013 ; Casas-Arredondo et al 2018 ). There are exceptions.…”