Quantification and Characterization of Construction Waste in Shire City, Northern Ethiopia for Sustainable Waste Management

Quantification and Characterization of Construction Waste in Shire City, Northern Ethiopia for Sustainable Waste Management | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Quantification and Characterization of Construction Waste in Shire City, Northern Ethiopia for Sustainable Waste Management Haile Tadelle Abadi, Amdom Mhretu, Teka Asresie, Welday Gebrehiwot This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7550952/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 15 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Rapid urbanization and infrastructure development have made the management of construction and demolition waste (C&DW) a critical challenge in developing countries. This study assesses the quantities and characteristics of C&DW in Shire City, Northern Ethiopia, to inform sustainable waste management strategies. Data were collected through field observations, a questionnaire survey, and a literature review. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS, with Spearman correlation employed to evaluate respondent agreement and the Relative Importance Index (RII) used to assess waste management practices. Geospatial analyses were performed in ArcGIS, and waste volumes were estimated using rectangular and pyramidal models. Results indicate substantial volumes of illegally dumped waste, including soil (632,367.3 m³), mixed waste (64,317.4 m³), stone (13,200 m³), demolition debris (780.5 m³), and asphalt (540 m³). Major sources were excavation (45%), demolition (27.5%), and construction activities (17.5%). Illegal disposal was the most common practice (85%), with 77.5% of respondents recognizing its environmental impact. Reuse and recycling were limited, with concrete (62.5%) and metals (37.5%) being repurposed. Contractors primarily relied on disposal (RII = 0.84), reuse (0.83), and on-site separation (0.80). Comparisons with other developing countries reveal similar challenges, including inadequate regulation and limited recycling initiatives. Drawing on international best practices, this study recommends policy interventions and circular economy principles to improve C&DW management. Methodologically, the study contributes a replicable framework combining geospatial mapping with on-site waste volume estimation, applicable in resource-limited urban settings. Construction and demolition waste quantification characterization sustainable waste management Shire City Ethiopia Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 16 Oct, 2025 Reviews received at journal 06 Oct, 2025 Reviews received at journal 06 Oct, 2025 Reviews received at journal 03 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 29 Sep, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 29 Sep, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 28 Sep, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 28 Sep, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 26 Sep, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 25 Sep, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 25 Sep, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 25 Sep, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 21 Sep, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 19 Sep, 2025 First submitted to journal 19 Sep, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7550952","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":525524369,"identity":"3a1bf0c5-c4ee-4bee-aacb-1d6d247c003d","order_by":0,"name":"Haile Tadelle 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