Market development for construction and demolition waste stream in Australia

In Australia, construction and demolition activities have substantially grown over the recent decades leading to the generation of a large amount of waste. Among available options, the development of end-markets for construction and demolition (C&D) waste materials is regarded as a sustainable option to tackle issues around their management. Despite the promotion of circular economy and existence of some trading platforms set to facilitate C&D waste exchange in Australia, no research has been conducted to understand how various key stakeholders perceive their role in the C&D waste management system. Hence, this paper aimed to identify the perceptions of Australian key C&D waste stakeholders on the market development for recyclable materials. The study conducted a questionnaire survey in 2019, aiming to capture the main C&D waste stakeholders on market development. In total, 132 responses were collected, and analytical results showed that participants significantly support implementing more market incentives to reduce waste disposal. They also indicated that investment in technology and infrastructure, sustainable procurement and landfill levy are three major influential factors that have a significant impact on market development. The research findings can inform decisions and policies developed in Australia to establish end markets for C&D waste management effectively.