Controlling construction waste by implementing governmental ordinances in Hong Kong

Purpose – Owing 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. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of implementing regulatory measures for reducing construction waste in Hong Kong. Design/methodology/approach – 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 seven major regulatory waste management controlling measures: legislative controls; controlling public filling facilities; controlling landfill areas; providing on-site sorting facilities; implantation of a environmental management system; implementation of a waste management framework plan; and implementing recycling scheme. Findings – 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 study has also found that existing waste control ordinances allow for skewed distribution of commitments and responsibilities of controlling construction waste among project stakeholders. The results demonstrate that there is need for a balanced allocation of responsibilities and commitments among all project stakeholders. Originality/value – Revision and further development of legal measures are necessary to ensure that all project stakeholders play an active role and share commitments in waste control and reduction. This research provides references for studying construction waste management in other construction industries.