Construction Demolition Waste Management in Lebanon

The significant amount of waste generated from construction demolition has become a chronic problem in Lebanon. In the city of Beirut alone, approximately one million ton of construction demolition waste (CDW) has been generated over the past two years. The country is suffering from a constant problem in the management of its solid waste; and therefore, devising methods to manage the amount of CDW is a must and is the primary goal of an ongoing research at the American University of Beirut. This paper presents the first major step in this research effort. The paper studies the quantification, composition, and managing of CDW in Lebanon by examining three case studies consisting of 50 to 60-year old buildings being demolished for reconstruction. Based on the case study analysis and a set of interviews conducted with demolition contractors, the paper proposes a set of rules and regulations necessary for proper handling of CDW in the context of the Lebanese construction industry.