Sustainable Urban Habitat Through Integrated C&D Waste Management in India: Challenges and Prospects

Construction and demolition (C&D) waste and other inert materials form nearly a third of total municipal solid waste in the country. C&D waste generation and its ineffective disposal is a growing problem across the globe; the difference being the nature of generation and handling of C&D waste, which is country dependent. There are hurdles causing difficulty in managing C&D waste across the globe and specifically in developing countries like India, Where the pace of urbanization is rapid owing to its enormous growth potential and prospects. This article attempts to primarily focus on qualitatively identifying, quantify, and articulate the primary challenges for effective integrated management of C&D waste specifically in urban habitat. Article also attempts to summarize and preset the important experiences, relevant factual data related to C&D waste like quantity, composition, etc., and potential applications for effectively managing C&D waste through the development of construction materials and its role in achieving net zero targets in urban habitat.