Economic and Environmental Analysis of Using Recycled Ceramic Demolition Materials in Construction Projects

Marcin Gajzler, Piotr Nowotarski () and Maria Ratajczak
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Marcin Gajzler: The Faculty of Civil and Transport Engineering, Poznań University of Technology, 60-965 Poznań, Poland
Piotr Nowotarski: The Faculty of Civil and Transport Engineering, Poznań University of Technology, 60-965 Poznań, Poland
Maria Ratajczak: The Faculty of Civil and Transport Engineering, Poznań University of Technology, 60-965 Poznań, Poland

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 16, 1-21

Abstract: This paper presents a comprehensive economic and environmental analysis of the utilization of recycled ceramic demolition materials in the construction sector, considering three distinct applications: erecting vertical partitions, constructing road bases, and producing decorative finishes. The findings demonstrate significant economic advantages when using recycled ceramic materials in structural applications, specifically vertical partitions and road base layers, with cost reductions of approximately 14.1% and 23.9%, respectively, compared to new materials. Conversely, the economic viability of using recycled materials for decorative finishes (“old brick”) proved limited due to high labor intensity and significant waste generation during processing, resulting in higher costs than using new materials. From an environmental perspective, the recycling of construction ceramics provides substantial benefits, notably in reducing carbon footprints. The greatest environmental benefit observed was a reduction in carbon footprint by about 90% in vertical partition applications, and about 70% for decorative finishes. Despite these benefits, practical implementation faces substantial technological and regulatory barriers, including labor-intensive recovery processes and the absence of unified quality standards. Overcoming these challenges requires further development of advanced sorting and processing technologies, clear regulations, unified quality standards, and educational efforts targeted at the construction industry and investors.

Keywords: construction materials recycling; demolition ceramics; circular economy; environmental costs; structural durability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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