ABSTRACT
India, being a developing economy, has ensured a significant contribution of the gross domestic product for the development of the infrastructure. This growth in infrastructural development has fostered social and economic development across the nation. However, the increasing number of construction projects lay a huge stress on the availability of raw materials. Also, the wastes generated during construction, as well as at the end-of-life of infrastructural projects and buildings, are usually disposed of in landfills or on open earth without treatment, thereby causing pollution. The idea of circular economy (CE) is known as a sustainable approach for the efficient use of resources across different sectors. CE encompasses the facets of the repair, maintenance, refurbishment, reuse and recycle. This research article, using exploratory survey research, is to analyse the factors which act as determinants for the reuse of construction materials in the Indian subcontinent. The respondents for the survey include academia, practitioners, industry experts and policymakers. The research categorizes the identified factors into eight dimensions: economic, environmental, social, technical, infrastructural, legal, behavioural and temporal factors. The research further gives a framework for determinants of reuse of construction materials based on the different life cycle stages of construction. Finally, based on this research, the article develops policy suggestions for promoting the reuse of construction materials.
ABSTRACT
The notion of circular economy (CE) strengthens the approach to sustainable development (SD). It is perceived that the adoption of CE can unlock half a trillion dollars of economic value in India by the year 2030. However, embracing the CE concept can be considered a panacea to the existing issues associated with solid waste management (SWM). The proposed study explores current waste management practices and assesses the inadequacy to infer the CE as a solution for successful waste management practices. The work provides an overview of SWM in India and emphasizes the inclusion of CE in the Indian SWM sector. The comprehensive review depicts existing, and emerging waste management approaches to form a CE by processing the waste efficiently and fuelling an SD movement. The cradle-to-cradle approach in CE, national solid waste compliances/legislation, key initiatives taken by the Governments, and the influence of industry and legal framework on CE were also discussed. The work will facilitate policy and decision-makers to include CE in the Indian SWM sector.
Subject(s)
Solid Waste , Waste Management , Solid Waste/analysis , India , RecyclingABSTRACT
Blockchain can solve the problems that the agriculture supply chain (ASC) is facing to achieve sustainable growth. In a nation like India, blockchain application in the supply chain is still new; therefore, supply chain players need a better understanding and awareness of blockchain through valuable insights. This article aims to study the mediating role of blockchain technology adoption (BLCT) for sustainable supply chain performance (SSCP). This study investigates the influence of numerous factors such as green and lean practices, supply chain integration, supply chain risk, performance expectancy, top management support, cost, internal and external environmental conditions, regulatory support, and innovation capability on BLCT adoption. A sample of 316 respondents from Indian ASC industries was collected, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was used. This study's outcomes show that green and lean practices, supply chain integration, supply chain risks, internal and external conditions, regulatory support, innovation capability, and cost positively influence BLCT adoption. Moreover, BLCT positively influences sustainable agriculture supply chain performance. This article is valuable for policymakers, managers, service providers, researchers, and academicians to understand the role of factors in influencing BLCT and BLCT's role in improving sustainable supply chain performance (SSCP).
ABSTRACT
This paper provides a comprehensive characterization of mineral waste such as fly ash, bottom ash, slag and construction demolition (C&D) collected from four different thermal power plants, three steel plants and three C&D waste generation sites in India. To determine utilisation potential and environmental concerns, as received fly ash, bottom ash, slag and C&D waste were analysed for physico-chemical, mineralogical and morphological properties. The physico-chemical properties analysed include pH, moisture content, acid insoluble residue, loss on ignition(LOI), carbon content, fineness, chloride content, sulphate content, reactive silica content, XRF and heavy metal analysis. Morphological and mineralogical characteristics were investigated using scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray. Particle size distribution was obtained using particle size analyser. The material analysed has different compositions and were selected with a view to determine their suitability for different applications in cement and concrete industry and for further research studies.
