Construction debris becomes growing concern of growing cities

How can growing cities be expanded in a sustainable way? Huge waste generation has become a major challenge in many growing cities, particularly in developing countries. China's annual C&D waste generation was and estimated 2.4 billion tonnes in the past decade, which is 15 times more than municipal solid waste generation. India has less C&D waste generation than China, yet still is as high as 530 million tons in 2013. However, only around 5% of C&D waste was reused in these countries and the rest largely ends up in dumping sites for disposal. As China and other developing countries continue to urbanize in the next decades, C&D waste management will continue to be a significant challenge for urban sustainability in terms of the environment, economics, and safety. We therefore critically reviewed the C&D waste generation, management, and challenges faced by the fast expanding cities in China and other developing countries. We also compared the current characteristics of key C&D waste systems in developing and developed countries. Recommendations for swift action are made for policy makers in growing cities.