Investigating market demand and supply of construction industry waste as a lucrative outlet for integrating informal sector recycling/scavenging in Port Harcourt metropolis

Amadi, AI; Higham, AP

Abstract

The concept of waste minimization by reclamation and recycling is not new. However, it
requires thorough integration into the waste management practices of the construction
industry in the fast paced and expanding urban setting of Port Harcourt metropolis. The study
investigates waste generation on construction and demolition sites in Port Harcourt, their
market demand and recyclable potential, as a viable source of income for the informal sector,
integral to establishing an inclusive waste management system. Primary data was obtained
through the administration of structured questionnaires to construction companies and
private developers, interviews with buyers of recyclables, and site visits. The literature and
fieldwork reveals that there is a market demand in Port Harcourt for recycled construction
waste such as for filling of pot holes on roads, aluminium sheets for smelting into low-grade
cooking utensils, oxygenated wood to produce charcoal and firewood for road side sales of
roasted food and construction of temporary wooden structures (Bacha) for low income
earners. The response pattern also reveals that wastes are generated mostly for
cement/concrete, broken blocks, timber and metals. This represents a potentially steady
stream of sourcing for reclaimable and recyclable by-products, against the backdrop of the
high proportion of construction of new buildings. Furthermore, the findings reveal that, there
is no systematic medium of removal of construction wastes from their source, which often
occur in new developing upper class neighbourhoods, where such wastes are carted away
unsorted to open dumps or dumped in drains along roadways to low income neighborhoods
where the market demand is. Recognizing the health and safety implications of scavenging at
dumpsites, this study proposes the systematic integration of organized scavenging as a
lucrative outlet for construction waste utilization in Port Harcourt, specifically targeted at
direct sourcing and separation of materials generated on construction sites by certified
scavengers.

Citation

Amadi, A., & Higham, A. (2016). Investigating market demand and supply of construction industry waste as a lucrative outlet for integrating informal sector recycling/scavenging in Port Harcourt metropolis. In International Sustainable Ecological Engineering Design for Society (SEEDS) Conference 2016 : Conference Proceedings (36-50). LSIPublishing

• Publication Date: Dec 1, 2016
• Deposit Date: Feb 2, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 2, 2017
• Pages: 36-50
• Book Title: International Sustainable Ecological Engineering Design for Society (SEEDS) Conference 2016 : Conference Proceedings
• ISBN: 9780995569010
• Publisher URL: https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/as/cebe/seeds/seeds2016_proceedings.pdf