A Study on the Economic Estimation of the Recycling of Construction Waste

Amount of waste is always generated in industrialization process and it is gradually increasing. Domestic and industrial waste in 2003 increased by 9.5 percent than that of the last year(2002), whereas the amount of construction waste increased largely by 21 percent. Recently construction waste of total waste accounts for nearly 50 percent, waste concrete and Ascon from the construction waste takes up to 73 percent. Furthermore, amount of natural materials are gradually decreasing, that is, they are not sufficient any more. Owing to these reasons, the importance of recycling construction waste has been emphasized. The use of recycling aggregate makes the disposal of construction waste easier as well as protects environment from gathering raw aggregate. Also, it has the alternative effect economizing the insufficient new natural aggregate. This study employs the cost-benefit model to analyze the economic effect of construction waste recycling of Ascon which takes relatively high part of the total waste. The cost-comparison between raw aggregate and recycling aggregate were analyzed. With the model, the economic effect of Ascon recycling in 2003 and 2004 in capital area of Korea were analysed. Cost comparison between raw aggregate and recycling aggregate were also carried out. The result showed that the economic effect of Ascon recycling increased to 0.0808 for 2004 as compared 0.0694 for 2003. We could not conclude using above data, but this result shows that the economic benefit of Ascon recycling of construction waste has increased.