Evaluating Material Recovery Systems and Barriers to Zero-Waste Adoption in Construction Sites

The construction industry is a major contributor to solid waste generation, making effective Material Recovery Systems (MRS) essential for advancing zero-waste construction practices. This study evaluated the effectiveness of material recovery systems and examined the barriers to zero-waste adoption in a private construction company in Cabanatuan City, Philippines. A quantitative descriptive–correlational research design was employed, involving 30 purposively selected employees who responded to a validated five-point Likert-scale questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to assess the level of MRS effectiveness and perceived barriers, while Pearson’s product–moment correlation analysis was conducted at a 0.05 level of significance. Results revealed a high level of Material Recovery System effectiveness (M = 3.64, SD = 0.74) and a moderate level of barriers to zero-waste adoption (M = 3.00, SD = 0.81). Correlation analysis showed a significant positive relationship between MRS effectiveness and zero-waste adoption (r = 0.58, p < .01), and a significant negative relationship between barriers and zero-waste adoption (r = –0.46, p < .05). The findings indicate that strengthening material recovery practices can reduce implementation barriers and enhance zero-waste adoption in construction projects, highlighting the importance of management support, employee training, and systematic recovery processes.