Global construction waste to almost double by 2025

The volume of construction waste generated worldwide every year will nearly double to 2.2 billion tons by 2025, according to a report by Transparency Market Research.

The study says “reduce, reuse and recycle” policies are necessary to control the amount of construction waste. To date, such policies have been hampered by insufficient resources, lack of standardization, slim profit margins, policy apathy, and lack of education regarding the issues.

Construction waste is already causing safety and environmental concerns around the globe. In December 2015, a pile of construction debris caused a landslide in Shenzhen, China, that killed more than 70 people.

Texas has been burdened by waste created by Hurricane Harvey in the Houston area last year. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has waived some solid waste disposal regulations to hasten the clean-up. In Minnesota, construction debris is affecting groundwater, and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is pushing for tougher standards for demolition landfills that have no barrier between waste and groundwater.