Urban Construction Waste Management CSR: Recycling Demolition Debris

Utilization of construction and demolition waste from urban centres

Objective

• The project intends to develop low-energy pathways for processing the construction and demolition waste generated in cities and converting the same into value-added products for construction. This will involve the development of advanced sorting techniques for segregating the different types of materials collected as C&D waste, and identification of process streams to extract useful new construction materials from this waste.

Description

• There are millions of tons of construction and demolition waste generated in individual cities, which are typically getting dumped in so-called 'low-lying areas', which is causing severe environmental problems. Beneficiation of this waste material is possible with the augmentation of available technologies and devising suitable policy measures. The faculty group in the Department of Civil Engineering at IIT Madras has the requisite expertise in construction materials, automation, and construction management to realize the deliverables.

Impact

• The project will have a significant impact on the environment around the cities, as it will lead to a reduction of the waste material that is getting dumped thus using up good land space. Further, it will reduce the demand for pristine materials for manufacturing new concrete for buildings and roads.