Environmental Management Framework for Road Network Demolition Wastes for Construction Industry of Pakistan

Demolition waste from construction industry, especially from road networks, is one of the most voluminous and harmful categories of waste worldwide; therefore, its proper handling is essential for sustainable waste management for environmental, social, and economic benefits. Prolific and unregulated construction activities, conflicts, and defective works are major reasons. The current work aims to address the issue by presenting a framework for an enhanced understanding of sustainable demolition waste management (DWM). A critical analysis of the literature aided to identify major concerns related to different causes, their impacts, and challenges being faced by the construction industry in such management endeavors. The study adopted questionnaire-based methodology to understand the critical relation among the three variables. The Delphi technique supported by industry professionals and pilot study helped to formulate a realistic questionnaire tool. Using the concept of multivariate statistical analysis, structure equation modeling (SEM) helped to assess the structural relationships between the three variables. The research instrument met the reliability, validity and internal consistency criteria required. Each variable achieved a high effect size, f2, with a value of co-efficient of determination of more than the threshold value of 70%. Thus, this supported the fitness criterion of the SEM-based measurement model. Path coefficients yielded the acceptance of all alternate hypotheses, resulting in a strong positive relationship among the three constructs. Therefore, demolition waste impacts are deemed as an effective mediator when explaining the impact between the other two variables. The developed framework presents a coherent and systematic approach and identifies strategies that could be used to address these issues and lead to DWM, including options available for capacity building and implementation and evaluation for supporting sustainability.