October 15, 2025
Circular Economy in Construction and Demolition Waste Management
It is estimated that in Colombia, approximately 18 million tons of Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) are generated every year (Revista Semana, 2023). These include materials resulting from excavations and ceramic debris (such as tiles and clay blocks) as well as concrete waste (structural and non-structural concrete and blocks). They also include ordinary or non-hazardous waste (unusable, recyclable, and organic materials), hazardous solid waste, and special waste.
However, only 2% of this total is subjected to recovery or reuse processes that extend its useful life (MinAmbiente, n.d.).
The Circular Economy, as a model for the integrated management of solid waste, is currently one of the key concepts incorporated into the political agendas of governments worldwide, as this economic model holds significant potential for mitigating or even eliminating the negative environmental impacts associated with waste and industrial surplus management.
For the private sector, adopting and implementing the Circular Economy within their production and commercial models represents an opportunity to add value to industrial by-products through their sale, thus increasing financial sustainability. In addition, it allows companies to positively impact key stakeholder groups by involving them in the waste recovery chain or by significantly reducing the negative environmental effects associated with solid waste management.
At RIVA S.A., the principles of the Circular Economy have been applied to the planning and execution of its solid waste management model, enabling a large portion of the company’s industrial by-products to be reused and recycled, both internally and externally.
Through operational and financial agreements with local CDW recyclers and waste managers, RIVA S.A. has supported the growth of their household economies, highlighted their importance within the waste recovery value chain, and legitimized and dignified the essential work they perform.