Utilization of Solid Waste as Building Materials (USB): Review of Chinese Policies

Dingkun Xie, Jun Fang, Weihang Du, Junyi Zhu, Yaohui Xia, Hang Yan and Lixiong Cai ()
Additional contact information
Dingkun Xie: School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
Jun Fang: School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
Weihang Du: School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
Junyi Zhu: School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
Yaohui Xia: School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
Hang Yan: School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
Lixiong Cai: School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 5, 1-28

Abstract: The utilization of solid waste as building materials (USB) represents a three-win solution that simultaneously deals with the security of solid waste, environmental pollution, and scarcity of raw building materials. This study adopts a mixed content analysis, reviewing 258 USB policies (USBPs) issued between 1973 and 2022. A three-dimensional analytical framework that combines static and dynamic analyses was constructed including policy instruments, policy content, policy objectives, and time. The findings revealed both achievements and key barriers to USBPs. Over the past 50 years, cooperation among Chinese government departments and policy coordination has been increasing, and the revision of policy content and policy instruments has become more diversified and detailed. However, barriers such as an imperfect policy system and content, an irrational combination of policy instruments, and low implementation and sustainability of policies remain. In response, major recommendations for optimizing the existing USBPs in China were proposed in this paper, including improving the USB policy system and content, and optimizing the combination of policy instruments. Moreover, these findings can serve as a significant reference for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to direct future practices of the building material industry in effectively contributing to solid waste management and sustainable development.

Keywords: solid waste; sustainable building material; construction industry; building material industry; policy instrument; content analysis; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/5/1810/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/5/1810/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:5:p:1810-:d:1596082

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().