The Zero Waste Concept in the California Commercial Construction Industry: A Case Study

In 2018, the United States generated 600 million tons of Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) which was more than twice the amount of municipal solid waste produced. Excessive CDW puts a burden on already scarce landfills as well as the environment and the health of its inhabitants. Implementing waste management practices has historically been a challenge. The zero waste concept emerged as an innovative solution to CDW and refers to the elimination of waste throughout construction activity. It is the process of eliminating waste where possible, minimizing waste where feasible, and reusing materials which otherwise might become waste. Fully adopting a zero waste project has since been perceived as highly difficult to initiate and maintain since its inception. This paper has determined the ranking order of factors that generate CDW and whether the commercial construction industry in California is prepared to adopt zero waste strategies in the next 5 years in California. Data was collected through a survey of 38 California commercial construction professionals. The findings determined the top 5 causes of construction waste as well as establish that the commercial construction industry is indeed prepared to adopt zero waste strategies in the next 5 years in California