Malta and Dubai waste in construction sectors - compare and contrast - discuss

Reading a paper on material waste in the construction industry in UAE from 2011, by Al-Hajj and Hamani, I was struck by the similarity in attitudes between the two countries – between the UAE then and Malta now – regarding waste in the construction industry.

 Below is an abridged version of the same paper, with full details of the main article below.

Abstract

 The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is facing the challenge of achieving sustainability on construction sites. One of the main barriers lies in the increasing amounts of material waste generated from construction activities, dumped in landfills. This research examined previous studies about the sources of waste and the recommended measures to minimize it. The significance of these causes and frequency of implementation of adequate measures in the UAE construction sites were examined. Four construction projects were visited before a survey of contractors’ perceptions was conducted of the problem, causes of material waste, waste minimization measures and their benefits. The research revealed that the main causes of material waste are lack of awareness, excessive off-cuts resulting from poor design, and rework and variations. The most frequent measures practiced to minimize material waste are: staff training, adequate storage and just-in-time delivery of materials. Waste measurement and waste segregation are areas that need more efficient implementation to achieve material waste minimization targets. Moreover, contractors’ perceptions towards the benefits of material waste minimization revealed that this waste is primarily considered a financial problem and its minimization a cost-cutting activity. In contrast, the environmental dimension was neglected by surveyed companies.

Introduction

 In pursuing the mission of sustainable development, many countries are working towards maintaining a balance between developing the built environment and protecting the natural environment. This balance can only be achieved by shifting from the traditional linear production process to a cyclic process based on prevention, reuse and recycling of material waste (Miyatake, 1996; du Plessis, 2002). Although solid waste is generated by different household and economic activities, the construction industry has always been considered as one of the major producers of waste.

 This is clearly reflected in statistical and environmental reports in several countries. According to Eurostat report, 2 billion tonnes of waste is generated every year in European Union (EU-15) and the share of construction waste is 31%(DEFRA, 2007). The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is no exception and it is considered as one of the biggest producers of waste, 75% of which is from construction waste (UAE Interact, 2007) and it is ranked second to USA in waste share per capita among the world countries (Al-Qaydi, 2006).

Sources of material waste in construction

Many factors contribute to the generation of material waste. These factors have been grouped by Ekanayake and Ofori (2000) under four categories:(1) design; (2) procurement; (3) handling of materials; and (4) operation. They have concluded that most of the causes of waste are due to design issues. This finding has also been reported by a number of other studies (Rounce, 1998; Keys et al., 2000; Ekanayake and Ofori, 2004). It is, thus, agreed that the process of waste minimization must be started at the early stages of the project. A survey conducted by Saunders and Wynn (2004) showed that improper design resulting in excessive cut-offs is one of the major causes of material waste.

The UAE construction industry is witnessing an unprecedented boom. A lot of mega projects are underway and contractors are enjoying high profit margins in a tax-free economy (El-Sayegh, 2008). Therefore, it is important to focus on contractors’ attitudes towards waste and on waste generated as a result of construction site activities. In addition to excessive cut-off resulting from improper design, the three aspects to be investigated in detail are procurement, operation and handling. It is worth noting that waste generation is not only a technical issue but also a behaviouristic one. Teo et al. (2000) stated that ‘the labour intensive nature of construction activity suggests that behavioural impediments are likely to influence waste levels significantly’. This statement was supported by Lingard et al. (2000) who pointed out that effective waste minimization depends on the extent to which participants to the construction process change their behaviour in relation to waste issues. Therefore, sources of waste revolve around four factors namely: procurement, handling, operation and culture.

Conclusion

The following conclusions can be drawn from this study:

1 The main direct causes of material waste in the UAE construction sites are: workers’ lack of awareness; poor design resulting in excessive off-cuts; and the rework and variations. In contrast, the factors emanating from poor logistics management and procurement problems were considered as being of low significance.

2 The indirect causes of material waste were found to be the lack of legal and contractual incentives.

3 The current practices implemented by contractors to minimize material waste on construction sites are: adequate storage, staff training and awareness, and ‘just-in-time’ delivery.

4 Material waste recycling is rarely practised. In addition, waste measurement and waste segregation are two practices that need to be implemented more efficiently in UAE construction sites

5 Cost savings and increasing profits are considered, by most contractors in the UAE construction projects, to be the most important benefits and incentive for material waste minimization.

6 The environmental benefits are neglected, overlooked and considered as less important by contractors in the UAE construction sites.

In conclusion, it would seem that relevant research should also be conducted in the waste in construction industry in Malta also which might reveal valuable insights into behavioural attitudes and change for the better for the immediate future.

 ABRIDGED FROM ORIGINAL PAPER

Material Waste in the UAE Construction

 Assem Al-Hajj & Karima Hamani
School of the Built Environment, Heriot-Watt University Dubai Campus , UAE

 To link to this article see here