Attributional life cycle assessment of recycling and disposal strategies for construction and demolition waste

Abstract

The management of Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) poses significant environmental challenges in Saudi Arabia, exacerbated by rapid urbanization and the Giga Projects under Vision 2030. This study presents a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of CDW management practices across seventeen municipalities, providing the first region-specific evaluation of environmental impacts using comprehensive data. By integrating primary and secondary data from local sources, Ecoinvent 3.91, and GaBi Sphera, the study evaluates key CDW disposal methods: sanitary landfilling, incineration, and recycling. The findings reveal that advanced recycling infrastructure (e.g., compactor trucks, recycling facilities) significantly reduces non-renewable energy use, Global Warming Potential (GWP), and downstream emissions, particularly in high CDW-generating regions like Riyadh and Jeddah. Notably, recycling achieves a GWP reduction of up to 75 million kg CO₂-eq annually for key materials like mixed soil and concrete. Furthermore, the study contributes to global CDW management literature by presenting a replicable LCA framework that can be applied to other rapidly urbanizing economies facing similar waste management challenges. This framework offers valuable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and researchers seeking to develop sustainable CDW management strategies aligned with circular economy principles and international sustainability goals.