Sustainable waste management strategies for earthquake debris: Lessons from the 2008 China and 2023 Türkiye-Syria disasters

Disasters like earthquakes produce immense debris, posing long-term environmental, economic and health risks if not managed properly. While earthquake-induced waste management has been studied in certain contexts, there is limited understanding of how distinct approaches, especially when considering the sustainability framework, impact recovery outcomes. This study addresses this gap by comparing the debris management strategies of the 2008 Sichuan and 2023 Türkiye-Syria earthquakes. Using life cycle analysis, it evaluates debris composition, carbon emission, eco-costs, and recycling and recovery practices. The results reveal the Sichuan earthquake produced waste with an eco-cost of €24.58 billion and 152.5 million tons of CO 2 equivalents, while the Türkiye-Syria earthquake yielded €9.08 billion in eco-cost and 60.3 million tons of CO 2 equivalents. The findings underscore the critical role of resilient construction practices, establishment of national waste management standards, and recycling-focused recovery efforts in mitigating the impact of earthquakes on communities and ecosystems. This study offers a pioneering framework for the comparative analysis of seismic waste management, providing actionable insights for stakeholders to develop disaster recovery strategies and improve waste management practices in earthquake-prone regions.