Evaluating Critical Barriers to Utilization of Solid Waste as Building Material (USB) in China: An Integrated DEMATEL Approach

Utilization of solid waste as building material (USB) is a promising strategy that effectively addresses the challenges of safety and environmental pollution posed by solid waste and alleviates the scarcity of natural resources to facilitate the sustainable production of building materials. However, USB implementation and promotion have not yet matured in China because of various barriers. Therefore, this study employed the GT-DEMATEL-ISM-MACMIC model to identify the critical factors in USB implementation and examine the interactions and relationships among barriers to propose targeted recommendations. The results identified 33 barriers and revealed a distinct causal hierarchy. It was found that the macro-level barriers at the apex of the hierarchy, ‘incomplete policies and legislation’, ‘poor supervision and regulation of solid waste’, and ‘insufficient financial subsidies and incentives’, are critical barriers to USB implementation. A key outcome of this study is the identification of the most critical and obstinate barrier path evolution in USB implementation, where incomplete policies and regulations (P1, P2) lead to underdeveloped markets and capital (M6, E2), as well as low stakeholder motivation (S4), which in turn, exacerbates policy inertia and traps USB development in a state of deadlock. Conversely, detail-level barriers at the technical and managerial levels, such as ‘limited innovation in management models’ and ‘single type and limited application of renewable building material’, tend to be less influential than other barriers. Therefore, USB promotion can be achieved by strengthening policies and legislation, improving policy systems, and increasing financial subsidies. The results of this study will assist China and other developing countries in identifying critical barriers to USB implementation, offer practical approaches for promoting USB implementation, and provide methodological guidance for similar studies.