INGENIEUR
Figure 1: On-site Waste flow in most construction project sites
from site management practices. The findings
revealed that, there are no material flow cycles on
selected project sites.
Activities influencing waste generation
on site
Ten refurbishment activities were identified based
on data from site observations, the combination
of two-phase construction works (demolition
and new construction) were generally involved
among the selected projects and these became
the main factors influencing the generation of
refurbishment waste. These activities included
hacking processes, knocking down the existing
structure, fixing new floor tiles, fixing new wall
tiles, painting, changing old fittings, constructing
a new structure, constructing/changing/
installing fences/doors/windows, constructing/
changing the roof and finally unboxing the new
construction materials/new fittings/household
accessories etc. These ten activities were
recognised as inevitable and most common onsite
waste-producing activities. However, each
refurbishment work activity generates different
types of refurbishment waste material. The type
of refurbishment waste that is occurring in each
type of refurbishment work activity is shown in
detail in Figure 2.
Each refurbishment work activity generates
different types of refurbishment waste material.
From the survey, hacking and knockdown
processes create a high volume of mixed waste
made up off broken tiles, concrete, and bricks from
the existing structure. Whereas, the fixing new floor
tiles and the fixing new wall tiles, basically create a
similar type of waste material such as broken tiles,
extra new tiles due to the over orders, and broken
tiles, which are caused during the cutting process.
Additionally, all the extra paint and empty paint
cans from painting become a waste. Changing the
old fittings is believed to be one of the unavoidable
works in any refurbishment that generates various
types of large-scale waste, also known as bulky
waste, such as kitchen cabinets, sinks, “kolah,”
bathroom accessories, fan, baldock mesh, grills
and many more.
Furthermore, the survey indicated that the
construction of new structure during refurbishment,
such as beams and slabs built by adopting the
conventional method of construction using timber or
plywood for precast formwork creates wood waste.
Therefore, wood waste is largely generated besides
20 VOL 82 APRIL-JUNE 2020