Application of the 3R Concept in the Construction Industry to Achieve Zero Waste—a Sri Lankan Case Study

The construction industry, being a large industry, generates a massive amount of Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW). Strategies such as the 3R concept (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) and waste hierarchy are used in the industry for CDW management. However, CDW management is still in its primary stage. The Zero Waste (ZW) concept has the potential to eliminate CDW. Thus, this study aimed to identify how the 3R concept can be used in the construction industry in Sri Lanka to eliminate CDW and achieve ZW. A comprehensive literature survey and a qualitative research approach consisting of eight case studies were used for data collection. Manual content analysis followed by cross-case analysis was used to analyze the data collected through twenty semi-structured interviews. The study identified ways of minimizing wastage of materials by using the reducing and reusing concepts. Although none of the construction sites had recycling machines, recycle strategy was implemented at the sites for waste materials by hiring recyclers. Thus, this study proves the feasibility of achieving ZW through the 3R concept by adopting an effective waste management plan at the initial stages of construction projects.