Sustainable Waste Management in Large-Scale Infrastructure Projects: A Case Study from Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Large-scale infrastructure development is central to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, but construction activity also generates significant waste. This article presents the waste management approach at DG-II, Infra Package-1, where approximately 130 tonnes of waste are generated monthly, equivalent to about 1,560 tonnes annually if the rate remains constant. The system covers general and construction waste generated across work fronts, offices and site facilities. Waste is segregated and temporarily stored, then collected and transported by Delta Solution, the designated waste management service provider, with final disposal at AKAM. The case study highlights how structured waste control, traceability, source segregation and resource recovery can strengthen environmental performance and support the Kingdom’s transition toward a circular economy.

Introduction

Saudi Arabia is undergoing major infrastructure and urban development under Vision 2030. While these projects provide substantial economic and social benefits, they also create construction, demolition and general waste. Uncontrolled waste accumulation can affect housekeeping, dust control, soil and environmental quality, site safety and the efficient use of disposal capacity.

Effective project-level waste management is therefore an important part of environmental compliance and sustainability performance. The objective is not only to remove waste from site, but to prevent unnecessary generation, segregate recoverable materials, maintain traceability and minimize the quantity requiring final disposal.

Waste Generation at DG-II, Infra Package-1

DG-II, Infra Package-1 generates approximately 130 tonnes of waste per month, representing an estimated 1,560 tonnes per year. Waste is generated from construction work fronts, infrastructure activities, offices, site facilities, material-handling areas and other supporting operations.

The principal streams addressed by the project include general waste and construction waste, together with potentially recoverable materials such as plastics, timber, metals, packaging and other construction materials where applicable. Accurate identification at the point of generation is essential because mixing recoverable materials with disposal waste reduces recycling and recovery potential.

Waste Management System

The project follows a controlled management chain:

Waste Generation → Segregation at Source → Temporary Storage → Collection & Transportation by Delta Solution → Recycling/Recovery Where Applicable → Final Disposal at AKAM → Records and Traceability

Source-segregation is a critical control. Appropriate, clearly identified collection points help prevent mixing and improve housekeeping. Temporary storage areas should remain orderly, adequately sized, accessible to collection vehicles, protected from uncontrolled dispersal and monitored to prevent overflow.

Delta Solution manages collection and transportation of project-generated waste. A defined service provider arrangement establishes responsibility for collection, loading, transportation and transfer to the appropriate destination. Waste quantities, dates, categories, collection records and disposal documentation should be maintained to demonstrate traceability.

Final Disposal and the Waste Hierarchy

Waste requiring disposal is transferred through the established management chain to AKAM for final disposal. From a sustainability perspective, however, disposal should remain the final option rather than the first response. The preferred waste hierarchy is:

Prevention → Reduction → Reuse → Recycling → Recovery → Treatment → Disposal

The long-term objective is therefore to reduce the proportion of the 130 tonnes/month that ultimately requires disposal. Increasing recovery of suitable construction materials can reduce demand for virgin resources and improve overall project environmental performance.

Environmental and ESG Benefits

A structured waste management system provides practical environmental, social and governance benefits. Environmentally, it reduces uncontrolled dumping, littering, accumulation and unnecessary disposal while creating opportunities for recycling and recovery. Socially, good housekeeping contributes to cleaner and safer working areas and supports workforce awareness. From a governance perspective, defined responsibilities, contractor management, inspection, records and traceability provide evidence of controlled waste handling.

Waste management should therefore be considered an ESG performance area rather than only a housekeeping activity.

Key Performance Indicators

Waste Diversion Rate (%) = [(Total Waste Generated − Waste Sent for Final Disposal) / Total Waste Generated] × 100.

Opportunities for Improvement

• Strengthen source segregation with dedicated containers for major recyclable and non-recyclable streams.
• Increase recovery of suitable concrete, metals, asphalt, timber, packaging and plastics.
• Conduct periodic waste audits to identify major waste-generating activities, mixed streams and reduction opportunities.
• Use digital tracking to connect waste generator, waste type, quantity, collection date, transporter, destination and disposal/recovery evidence.
• Address waste at the procurement stage by reducing excess materials, unnecessary packaging, damage, overstocking and construction losses.
• Promote circular procurement and beneficial reuse where technically, legally and environmentally appropriate.

Alignment with Vision 2030 and Circular Economy

Saudi Arabia’s sustainability direction increasingly emphasizes resource efficiency, recycling and waste diversion. Infrastructure projects can translate these national objectives into practical site-level action by moving from a linear model—Take → Make → Use → Dispose—toward a circular model based on Reduce → Reuse → Recover → Recycle → Reintroduce into the Economy.

For DG-II, the existing controlled collection and disposal system provides a foundation for this transition. The next step is to increase material recovery, improve waste data and progressively reduce dependence on final disposal.

Conclusion

DG-II, Infra Package-1 demonstrates the importance of a defined waste management chain for large-scale infrastructure development. With approximately 130 tonnes of waste generated monthly, systematic segregation, temporary storage, collection and transportation by Delta Solution, and final disposal at AKAM provide a controlled pathway from generation to destination.

The strongest sustainability opportunity is to move beyond disposal-oriented management. Prevention, source segregation, reuse, recycling, recovery and digital traceability can convert waste management into a measurable environmental and ESG opportunity. For major infrastructure projects in Saudi Arabia, the goal should be simple: generate less waste, recover more value and dispose only what cannot reasonably be recovered.

Author’s Perspective

As infrastructure development accelerates across Saudi Arabia, environmental professionals can help transform waste management from a compliance requirement into a strategic sustainability function. Integrating NCEC requirements, Vision 2030 objectives, ESG principles, circular economy thinking and reliable waste data can improve project performance while supporting the Kingdom’s broader environmental ambitions.

Note for Publication

The 130 tonnes/month figure is the project-level quantity provided for this case study. A final publication should add the available monthly waste manifests or contractor records to substantiate the quantity and, where available, provide a breakdown by waste stream and recycling/final disposal destination.

References

1. Saudi Vision 2030. Vision 2030 Annual Report 2025 – A Sustainable Vision / Circular Economy.
2. Blaisi, N. I. (2019). Construction and demolition waste management in Saudi Arabia: Current practice and roadmap for sustainable management. Journal of Cleaner Production, 221, 167–175.
3. Life Cycle Assessment of Construction and Demolition Waste Management in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(12), 7382.
4. Enhancing the circular economy in Saudi Arabia’s construction sector: a source segregation perspective through thematic analysis. Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, 2026.
5. Saudi Arabia National Center for Waste Management (MWAN). Technical Guidelines – Construction and Demolition Waste Management.
6. Saudi Arabia National Center for Waste Management. Waste Management Law and Implementing Regulations.
7. Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC). Sustainability Report 2024.