Development of procedural framework for 6R implementation in construction waste management

Sustainable construction has become a top priority in most developing countries including Malaysia. With the rapid development progress in Malaysia, construction waste continues to rise and putting pressure on the social, economy, and environmental sustainability of the nation. Effective construction waste management (CWM) is crucial for achieving the sustainability goals. A well-designed waste management strategy is essential to minimise the environmental impact of waste generation for a more resilient built environment. Past researchers have identified a lack of systematic procedures for CWM and implementation by contractors. This research aims to address this gap by developing a procedural framework for implementing the 6R approach - refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, recovery, and reflect in the local construction waste management. An extensive literature review on the CWM practices was conducted followed by a preliminary focused-group interview with the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp). A draft procedural framework focusing on 6R waste management was developed following the pilot group studies. To improve the developed framework, semi-structured interviews with the main contractors were conducted for their insights on the current practices and challenges faced in construction waste management, and the feasibility of the proposed procedural framework. The interview findings showed great support to the developed procedural framework with little recommendations incorporated. A final procedural framework was then concluded for implementation. This study presents a significant opportunity for the main contractor in practising sustainable construction waste management (SCWM) through the recommended procedural model.