Strategies to promote circular economy in the management of construction and demolition waste at the regional level: a case study in Manaus, Brazil

Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) cause environmental impacts in a worldwide scale. The existing international concern regarding the adequate management of CDW is justified by the large amount of this waste produced in a daily basis, together with its potential hazardous effects on ecosystems and human health. In this scope, the application of Circular Economy principles to the construction industry is of the utmost importance to define management strategies regarding CDW. Although highly dependent on policies developed at the national level, the promotion of circularity in construction materials usage is also at the reach of local administration bodies. The present research identifies strategies for CDW management at the regional level, involving different stakeholders of the construction industry. These strategies were successfully operationalized through a case study focusing CDW management in the municipality of Manaus, in the centre of the Amazon Forest. The characterization of the reference situation regarding CDW management in Manaus revealed several deficiencies, namely the lack of reuse and recycling opportunities, the unsupervised disposal of CDW in illegal landfills, together with insufficient surveillance procedures and inadequate policies from regional authorities. Improved CDW management strategies were identified and operationalized: valorization of CDW through the enhancement of reuse and recycling opportunities, operationalized through a mobile phone application; reinforcement of training and surveillance practices; and alterations in the municipal policies regarding CDW disposal in the public landfill. The CDW management strategies described and validated in this research are applicable to other Brazilian municipalities or to other countries' realities, promoting sustainability-oriented practices that can co-exist with economic development.