his chapter is literature review on the study of recycling of construction materials in construction industry. This study was undertaking more specific subjects on the application, benefits and concept of recycling of construction materials. Therefore, it was study further on the application, benefits, procedures, barriers of recycling of construction materials, and the strategies to enhance recycling. The literature recourses were search from the reference books and journals article that getting from the internal research and library.

2.1 Fact

In nowadays, the biggest problem for the construction industry is the construction wastage. The construction and demolition wastes were produced in the bulk quantity in every year and the amount was increasing seriously year by year. It is because the construction industry is one of the most important industries and a lot of construction work will be carry out in every year to satisfy the demand of the market and the end user.

The construction and demolition wastes are the surplus materials produced during new construction, renovation, and demolition of buildings and structures. The wastes comprise the construction materials such as asphalt, brick, concrete, masonry, lumber, shingles, roofing materials, glass, plastics, aluminium, steel, architectural elements, drywall, insulation, wiring, plumbing and electrical fixtures, vinyl and aluminium siding, corrugated cardboard, soil, rocks, tree stumps and other landscaping.

In the practical construction industry, majority of the construction and demolition wastes are disposing off site or on site. The ways of disposal for these wastes is landfills or burn. However, some of the construction and demolition wastes which are recyclable that will be separate on site for further processing and recycling. The recycling is the most effective and efficient method to reduce the construction and demolition wastes.

“Recycle refers to the act of reprocessing discarded goods or materials into new goods materials which can be used again.”

2.2 Application of Recycled Materials

In the practical construction industry, it is only minority of the construction and demolition wastes are using to do the further processing and recycling work and the other majority wastes are disposing by landfills. Actually, most of the construction and demolition wastes produced by the construction industry are recyclable. “The recyclable materials are Asphalt, Brick, concrete, ferrous metal, glass, masonry, non-ferrous metal, paper and cardboard, plastic and timber.”

2.2.1 Brick

The brick is one of the recyclable materials in construction industry. During manufacturing, if some of the brick failed to achieve standard of production, those brick can be recycle and reproduce to avoid the materials wastage. For construction and demolition wastes, the brick waste which is normally mix with the plastering can be crush and form the hardcore that as a base support for the concrete bed of a building. In addition, the brick waste also can be the filling materials that use for backfilling to strengthen the earth. Some of the brick waste can be recycle and use as aggregate and drainage media which as same as the concrete waste.

2.2.2 Concrete

Concrete rubble from the construction and demolition wastes is also recyclable. Most of the recycled concrete rubble is use as aggregate which is to be mix with cement and sand to form the new concrete. Besides that, concrete waste also has a potential of being recycled as the road base, hardcore, sub-base, general filling, paving stone, and drainage media. Concrete waste