Comparing environmental impacts of natural inert and recycled construction and demolition waste processing using LCA
Open accessAbstract
Construction and demolition wastes (C&DW) are usually recognized as not dangerous, but their accumulation can generate serious environmental problems. In spite of C&DW high potential to be reused/recycled, the practical procedures need to be assessed in terms of environmental consequences. The objective of this study is to quantify the environmental impacts of C&DW recycling/reuse, specifically in the production of aggregate 0/30 mm, comparative to those generated during the natural inert processing, in terms of global impacts addressing the whole process and for each technological phase. The analysis was carried out using Life Cycle Assessment methodology, assisted by SimaPro software, and based on primary data collected directly from the Italian Emilia Romagna region. Three methods were used for impact quantification: Eco-Indicator 99, EDIP/UMIP and Cumulative Energy Demand. The analysis revealed that the environmental impacts generated by C&DW recycling/reuse accounting for about 40% of the impacts induced by natural inert processing.
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Investigating a case of aggregate production near Rome, Simion et al indicate that secondary materials have only 40% of the impact of aggregates from natural resources, but not all uses result in such environmental benefits.
“Investigating a case of aggregate production near Rome, Simion et al [98] indicate that secondary materials have only 40% of the impact of aggregates from natural resources, but not all uses result in such environmental benefits [99].”
From Material efficiency strategies to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings, vehicles, and electronics—a review (2019) · cites this paper as [98]
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
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- Authors
- Simion, I. M., Fortuna, M. E., Bonoli, A., & Gavrilescu, M.
- Affiliations
- Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași (RO)
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Management, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, 73 Prof Dr Docent Dimitrie Mangeron Street, 700050 Iasi, Romania
- DICAM, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Studies of Bologna, 2 Risorgimento Street, 40136 Bologna, Italy
- Academia Oamenilor de Știință din România (RO)
- Venue
- Journal of Environmental Engineering and Landscape Management
- Published
- 2013-12
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 273-287
- ISSN
- 1648-6897 (ISSN-L)
- 1822-4199
- OpenAlex
- W2063292004
- Cited by
- 111
- References
- 42
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 3
- FWCI
- 5.82
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- Journal of Environmental Engineering and Landscape Management (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Archivio istituzionale della ricerca (Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna) (submittedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- Autoritatea Natională pentru Cercetare Stiintifică
- Unitatea Executiva pentru Finantarea Invatamantului Superior, a Cercetarii, Dezvoltarii si Inovarii
- European Social Fund
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Building and Construction › Recycled Aggregate Concrete Performance
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Environmental Impact and Sustainability
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Waste Management and Disposal › Municipal Solid Waste Management
- Keywords
- construction and demolition waste, waste recycling, waste reuse, aggregate production, environmental impact, life cycle assessment, cumulative energy demand, Eco-indicator 99, Emilia-Romagna
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