Controlling construction waste by implementing governmental ordinances in Hong Kong

Abstract

Due to limited space, reducing the waste going to landfills has become a pressing issue in Hong Kong. As most of the solid waste was generated from construction activity, the Hong Kong government has instituted a number of measures aimed at reducing waste from this source.However, it appears that the application of these measures has been of limited effectiveness. This paper examines the effectiveness of implementing regulatory measures for reducing construction waste in Hong Kong. The data used for the analysis are from a survey to construction professionals in the local industry by means of questionnaire, interview discussions and case studies. The survey examined the commitments and responsibilities imposed on project participants for implementing waste management. The results of the investigation illustrate that legal commitments have been mainly allocated to contractors. Insufficient commitments and responsibilities are allocated to other project participants such as project clients, designers and consultants. The results demonstrate that there is need for a balanced allocation of responsibilities and commitments among all project stakeholders. . 1997: Strategies for successful construction and demolition waste recycling operations. Journal of Construction Management and Economics 15(1), 49-58. Coffey, M. 1999: Cost-effective systems for solid waste management. Waterlines 17(3), 23-24. Craven, E.J., Okraglik, H.M. and Eilenberg, I.M. 1994: Construction waste and a new design methodology.

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