Construction and demolition waste management in India: A case study of Ahmedabad city

Ahmedabad is the largest city in the state of Gujarat and the 5th largest in India in terms of population. It is one of the most important economic and industrial hubs in India. Additionally it is one of the fastest growing cities in India, leading to large infrastructural projects including metro rail and river front. Construction is also increasing in the peripheries of the city with an anticipation of better connectivity in the future. Increase in construction activities has led to increase in generation of Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste in the city over the years. The present paper studies C&D waste management model followed in the city. To get a scientific understanding of the waste, the C&D waste was characterized and analyzed for suitability in product diversification. Results obtained from the study showed that high quality non-reinforced concrete products can be produced from complete replacement of natural aggregates by C&D based recycled aggregates. Additionally, recycled products manufactured using C&D waste are cheaper compared to market rates of products made with virgin aggregates