Degrading the landscape, threatening natural resources

 

 

Approximately 7.5 million tons of construction and demolition waste is generated each year in Israel, of which a mere 15% reaches orderly, official disposal sites. The rest is dumped by the roadside and in the landscape.

 

A brief survey of the country's orchards, wooded areas, fields and open spaces  quickly reveals the extent of visual blight caused by illegal dumping of building debris. The mounds of rubble, metal, rubber, electrical wiring, much of which could be reused and recycled in additional buildings, confirm Israel’s embrace of the throwaway society.

 

 

Toxic materials

 

Pirate dumping of building and demolition waste is not only an affront to the landscape and a public safety hazard, but a threat to the environment. Construction debris – cement blocks, rubble, plaster, plastic and metal piping, paint, electrical fittings, and so on – contains varying quantities of toxic materials that contaminate soil and groundwater. And the presence of building waste on open spaces adjacent to homes in densely populated areas poses safety and health hazards to the community.

 

 

Needed: A comprehensive strategy to reduce and reuse construction waste

 

Worldwide, the problem of construction waste is being addressed by comprehensive strategies to reduce waste through more efficient planning and use of new materials, while promoting reuse and recycling of building waste. In some cases, these strategies are being developed through partnerships among government, the construction industry, planners and architects.

 

Israel is at the beginning of a cultural shift towards 'waste-wise' construction and sustainable handling of building waste.

 

IUED is working to bring about legislative and policy reforms to address construction waste disposal, reuse and recycling. In parallel, we are working in the community to tackle pirate dumping of debris and rubble that degrades the landscape and threatens public safety.