Attributional life cycle assessment of recycling and disposal strategies for construction and demolition waste

The management of Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) poses significant environmental challenges in Saudi Arabia, exacerbated by rapid urbanization and the Giga Projects under Vision 2030. This study presents a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of CDW management practices across seventeen municipalities, providing the first region-specific evaluation of environmental impacts using comprehensive data. By integrating primary and secondary data from local sources, Ecoinvent 3.91, and GaBi Sphera, the study evaluates key CDW disposal methods: sanitary landfilling, incineration, and recycling. The findings reveal that advanced recycling infrastructure (e.g., compactor trucks, recycling facilities) significantly reduces non-renewable energy use, Global Warming Potential (GWP), and downstream emissions, particularly in high CDW-generating regions like Riyadh and Jeddah. Notably, recycling achieves a GWP reduction of up to 75 million kg CO 2 -eq annually for key materials like mixed soil and concrete. Furthermore, the study contributes to global CDW management literature by presenting a replicable LCA framework that can be applied to other rapidly urbanizing economies facing similar waste management challenges. This framework offers valuable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and researchers seeking to develop sustainable CDW management strategies aligned with circular economy principles and international sustainability goals. • Recycling CDW reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 15–20% and fossil fuel depletion by 30%. • Life Cycle Assessment compares the environmental impacts of landfilling, incineration, and recycling across 17 municipalities in Saudi Arabia. • Riyadh and Jeddah, as top CDW generators, demand targeted strategies to address waste volumes and enhance recycling capacity. • The study supports Vision 2030 by emphasizing nationwide investments in recycling infrastructure to drive sustainable CDW management.