Liquid waste management in the construction sector: a systematic literature review

Liquid waste from construction sites can cause significant negative social, economic and environmental impacts. Generally, liquid waste from construction-related trades’ activities, such as product mixing, application and tool washing; stormwater run-off; and leaching of construction material, can pollute surface soil, water bodies and groundwater sources. Therefore, construction projects must have proper management of construction-related liquid waste. This study therefore undertook a systematic literature review (SLR) to analyse the literature on liquid waste management in construction projects. The study used the PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (method)) framework, and the bibliometric tool, VOSviewer, to analyse and present its findings. The SLR process identified and analysed 49 papers, published between 1992 and 2022, and found that liquid waste management was an often-overlooked area within the construction sector. The review identified three liquid waste focus areas: sources and composition of construction liquid waste; construction liquid waste control methods; and construction liquid waste management. The study’s findings identified a lack of integration between research on liquid waste management and research studies on construction site water pollution. The study’s contribution highlights the current progress of construction liquid waste management research and identifies the need for future research on efficient and effective implementation of liquid waste management practices in construction projects.