Cities are choking because of their own construction and demolition (C&D) waste with serious environmental consequences warned the sustainable building experts at the conference organised by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) & Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA).

While construction necessitates enormous amount of construction material that accounts for about half of all materials used, it is also responsible for generating about half of the solid waste that degrades the land and environment. Given the fact that 70 per cent of the buildings that will stand in India in 2030 are yet to be built, this environmental cost will only compound with the anticipated construction boom unless immediate steps are taken to recycle and reuse construction waste and turn it into a resource. This message came out strongly and overarchingly at the daylong conference on “Waste to Resource” jointly organised by the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) and Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in New Delhi.