Integrated and effective platform governance mode for managing construction muck waste for a circular economy

Abstract

Construction waste is a type of solid waste that is inevitably produced in the process of urban development and has a dreadful environmental impact due to inadequate management of it by the public sector. The purpose of this paper is therefore to investigate platform governance as an alternative strategy for muck waste management that will contribute to a circular economy. A comparison between the traditional governance process and platform governance of muck truck management is made by using Petri-net. Nanjing’s muck smart supervision platform is used as a case study to assess effectiveness of the platform governance mode. Results from Petri-net simulation modeling software reveal that the platform governance mode is more effective than the traditional mode. Based on the case study of Nanjing’s muck smart supervision platform, it is found that the success of Nanjing's muck waste management can be attributed to the platform governance mode. This means that the platform management approach can contribute to the sustainability of muck waste governance. It is feasible to utilize the platform governance mode for muck waste as an integrated and effective management mode for current practices of muck waste management and resource recovery in China. The platform governance mode can significantly improve the efficiency of muck waste management and provide economic and environmental benefits as part of a circular economy.