Strategies to Minimise Construction Waste: A Contractor’s Perspective

Authors

  • Mohamad Zahierruden Ismail Department of Quantity Surveying, Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
  • Saidin Mohd Misnan Department of Quantity Surveying, Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
  • Nur Fadilah Darmansah Department of Quantity Surveying, Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24191/bej.v23i1.923

Keywords:

Construction, Waste Management, Contractor

Abstract

The generation of construction waste has become a pressing issue in Malaysia, making waste reduction crucial due to its environmental and financial impacts. This research aims to identify the factors that hinder effective construction waste management and to propose strategies to improve waste management practices in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. The study focused on CIDB-registered contractors working on residential and commercial projects. Six respondents from various projects were selected for this qualitative study, and data were analysed using thematic analysis. The research identified several key factors contributing to poor construction waste management, including inefficient material management, inadequate planning, low awareness, insufficient training, and weak communication among project stakeholders. Based on these findings, the study recommends strategies that contractors can adopt to minimise construction waste. These strategies include optimising material usage, adopting lean construction practices, using prefabrication and modular construction techniques, implementing waste segregation and recycling, enhancing project planning and coordination, and fostering a culture of waste reduction within the organisation. Although contractors recognise the importance of effective waste management, the study highlights a need for government support to help them implement these strategies.

Author Biographies

  • Mohamad Zahierruden Ismail, Department of Quantity Surveying, Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

    Mohamad Zahierruden Ismail, PhD is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Quantity Surveying, Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. His main research activity is in the area of construction project management. He has published widely on these subjects in publications such as the International Journal of Built Environment & Sustainability (IJBES), International Journal of Sustainable Construction Engineering and Technology (IJSCET), Planning Malaysia Journal, and Malaysian Journal of Sustainable Environment (MySE). He can be reached through his email at mohamadzahierruden@utm.my.

  • Saidin Mohd Misnan, Department of Quantity Surveying, Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

    Saidin Mohd Misnan, PhD is Associate Professor in the Department of Quantity Surveying, Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. His main research activity is in the area of construction project management and safety management. He has published widely on these subjects in publications such as the Sustainability, International Journal of Engineering and Advanced Technology, International Journal of Built Environment & Sustainability (IJBES), International Journal of Sustainable Construction Engineering and Technology (IJSCET), Journal of Engineering and Applied Science, and Malaysian Journal of Sustainable Environment (MySE). He can be reached through his email at b-saidin@utm.my.

  • Nur Fadilah Darmansah, Department of Quantity Surveying, Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

    Nur Fadilah Darmansah, PhD is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Quantity Surveying, Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Her main research activity is in the area of building facilities management. She has published widely on these subjects in publications such as the International Journal of Human Movement and Sport Sciences, Malaysian Construction Research Journal, Journal of Human Centered Technology. She can be reached through his email at nurfadilah@utm.my.

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Published

01-01-2026

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Vol. 23 No. 1 (2026): Built Environment Journal

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Copyright (c) 2025 Mohamad Zahierruden Ismail, Saidin Mohd Misnan, Nur Fadilah Darmansah

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Strategies to Minimise Construction Waste: A Contractor’s Perspective. (2026). Built Environment Journal, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.24191/bej.v23i1.923

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