Reference number  
DRS 367: 2017  
© RSB 2017  
 
 
 RWANDA 
STANDARD  DRS  
367 
 
First edition  
2017 -mm-dd 
 
Construction and demolition waste  
management — Code of practice  
 
  DRS 367: 2017  
©RSB 2017 - All rights reserved                  ii 
 In order to match with technological development and to keep continuous progress in industries, 
standards are subject to periodic review. Users shall ascertain that they are in possession of the latest 
edition  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© RSB 2017  
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized 
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without 
prior written permission from R SB. 
Requests for permission to reprodu ce this document should be addressed to : 
Rwanda Standards  Board  
P.O Box 7099 Kigali -Rwanda  
KK 15 Rd, 49  
Tel. +250 252 586103/ 582945  
Toll Free: 3250  
E-mail: info@rsb.gov.rw  
Website: www.rsb.gov.rw  DRS 367: 2017  
iii                ©RSB 2017 - All rights reserved  
 Contents  Page 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  iv 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  1 
3 Term s and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  1 
4 Construction and demolition (C&D) waste management  ................................ .........................  3 
4.1 Prevention of waste  ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  3 
4.2 Reduction of waste  ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................  3 
4.3 Reusing C& D materials  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  3 
4.4 Recycling of C&D waste  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  4 
4.5 Removing and disposing of C&D hazardous waste  ................................ ................................ . 4 
4.6 Handling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  4 
4.7 Storage  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  4 
4.8 Transportation of C&D hazardous waste  ................................ ................................ ...................  5 
4.9 Landfilling of C&D hazardous waste  ................................ ................................ ..........................  5 
Annex  A (informative)  Origins and causes of construction waste  ................................ .....................  6 
 DRS 367: 2017  
©RSB 2017 - All rights reserved                  iv 
 Foreword  
Rwanda Standard s are prepared  by Technical Committees and approved by R wanda Standards Board (RSB) 
Board  of Directors in  accordance with the procedures of RSB, in compliance with Annex 3 of the WTO/TBT 
agreement on the preparation, adoption and application of standards.  
The main task of technical committees is to prepare nati onal standards.  Final Draft Rwanda S tandards adopted 
by Technical committ ees are ratified  by me mbers of RSB Board of Director s for publication and gazettment as 
Rwanda Standards.  
DRS 367 was prepared by Technical Committee RSB/TC 013, Environment, Health and Safety.  
The assistance de rived from the above source is hereby acknowledged with thanks.  
Committee membership  
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee on Environment, Health and Safety  
(RSB/TC 013) in the preparation of t his standard.  
Compagnie pour l’Environnement et le Développement (COPED)  
Horizon Group  
NPD -COTRACO  
Real Contractors Ltd  
Rwanda Min es, Petroleum and Gas  Board  (RMB)  
Rwanda Transport and Development Agency  (RTDA)  
Shine Engineers Multisectoral Company Ltd (SE MC 
Standards for Sustainability (SfS)  
The Integrated Polytechnic Regional Centre -Kigali (IPRC -Kigali)  
Rwanda  Standards Board (RSB) – Secretariat  
 DRS 367: 2017  
v                ©RSB 2017 - All rights reserved  
 Introduction  
Construction and demolition (C&D) materials are generated when new building and civil -engineering  structures 
are built and when existing buildings and civil -engineering structures are renovated or demolished (including 
demolition activities). Civil engineering structures include public works projects such as streets and highways, 
bridges, utility plan ts, piers and dams.  
Building materials have an environmental impact at every step of the building process: extraction of raw 
materials, processing, manufacturing, transportation, construction and disposal.  
We usually witness waste from individual house con struction or demolition finding its way into nearby municipal 
bin/vat/waste storage depots, making the municipal waste heavy and making it difficult for further treatment.  
C&D waste  include building materials such as insulation, nails, electrical wiring, g ravel and roofing as well as 
waste  originating from site preparation such as dredging materials, tree stumps and rubble.  Construction waste  
may contain lead, asbestos, or other hazardous substances.  
Governments worldwide have responded to the need to reduc e waste with regulation and legislation that have 
framed a market for building materials and products derived from the construction and demolition (C&D) waste 
stream.  In addition, illegal dumping of C&D debris can result in future health risks, decreased p roperty values, 
and clean up costs. Proper management and reduction of the amount of C&D waste generated can save money, 
conserve resources, and preserve the environment.  
This standards aims at guiding concerned construction companies or individuals on how  to properly manage 
debris from construction or renovation works, among others, commercial or residential houses, roads, bridges, 
etc. 
 DRS 367: 2017  
1                ©RSB 2017 - All rights reserved  
 Construction and demolition waste  management — Code of practice  
1 Scope  
This Draft Standard prescribes management  of construction and demolition (C&D) waste  which includes  
prevention,  reduction, reuse, recycling and disposal.  
Domestic, commercial and industrial solid waste , waste within healthcare facilities  and e-waste are covered in 
separate standards . 
2 Normative references  
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content cons titutes 
requirements of this document.  For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the 
latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.  
RS 181,  Solid waste — Handling, collection, transportation and disposal — Code of practice  
RS 182 , Solid waste  disposal sites, guidelines for design — Code of practice  
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this standard, the follow ing terms and definitions apply.  
3.1 
operative  
worker who does ph ysical operations of construction machines  
4.2 
construction  
process of constructing , rehabilitating, renovating and refurbishing  a building  or infrastructure  
4.3 
demolition  
tearing down of buildings and other man -made structures . Demolition also includes deconstruction   
©RSB 2017 - All rights reserved                  2 
 4.4 
construction and demolition waste  
waste result ing fro m new construction, remodelling or demolition of a structure. Construction waste is normally 
combined with demolition waste and described as "cons truction and demolition" (C&D)  
4.5 
reuse  
reuse is the process of using the same material several times either for the same purpose or for different purpose  
4.6 
recycling  
process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects  
4.7 
waste disposal  
all the activities and actions required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal  
4.8 
landfill  
site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and the oldest form of waste  
4.9 
infrastructure  
basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (buildings, roads and power supplies)  needed for the 
operation of a society or enterpris e. Both individual or community have to be catered for in this st andar d 
4.10 
ground -breaking /pioneering  
introducing new ideas or methods  
 DRS 367: 2017  
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 4 Construction and demolition (C&D) waste management  
4.1 The C&D w aste management plan shall be included in the project before ground -breaking or the 
beginning of demolition. This  allows time for all parties to participate in developing the plan, allows contractors 
and subcontractors to integrate recycling into their setup and work plans . 
4.2 Small scale proj ects including but not limited to individual houses shall contract with licensed waste 
collectors.  
4.3 A site space for waste management shall be availed to perform on-site waste collection, sorting and 
handling. Since C&D waste is often the mixture of inert and organic materials, it shall be segregated with  
contaminated waste which is not suitable for reuse or recycling,  generally disposed of at landfills directly  
4.4 The management plan of C&D waste shall reflect the waste management hierarchy, with waste 
prevention and minimization being the first priority succeeded by reuse ,recycling  and disposal . 
4.1 Prevention of waste  
4.1.1  The primary effort shall be to engage in  waste prevention or reduce the amount of waste generated . 
4.1.2  Material wastage on site  shall be avoided . 
NOTE  1 Renovation may be encourage d to retain and repair existing structural and decorative elements . 
NOTE 2  Minimizing the resources needed to do the work , reducing the purchase of construction materials and avoid the 
need to remove waste from site.  
4.2 Reduction  of waste  
3.2.1  Efficient use of  construction and packaging materials  shall be en couraged.  
4.2.3  Waste reduction efforts shall incorporate purchasing agreements that prevent excess  materials and 
packaging from arriving to the construction site.  
4.3 Reusing C& D materials  
4.3.1  The waste material that is generated shall be reused on site or collect ed for subsequent reuse to the 
greatest extent possible and disposal shall only be considered as a last resort.  
4.3.2  The contractor shall be specialised in planned demolition  so that recovery of valuable  material s can be 
maximised for re -use. 
4.3.3  Demolition  shall be applied carefully on a number of levels to salvage usable mat erials and significantly 
reduce  waste .  
4.3.4 Although the responsibility of removing the waste shall be primarily assigned to the demolition 
contractor , items that cannot be re -used shall be disposed  off to landfill site  by licensed waste operator .  
©RSB 2017 - All rights reserved                  4 
 4.4 Recycl ing of C&D waste  
4.4.1  The recycling of C&D waste materi als shall be done to control  the ext ent of waste disposal and reduce 
overall transport ation and disposal costs as well.  
4.4.2  Recycling of C&D waste materials shall be done in accordance with environmental protection standards 
and regulations . 
4.4.3 Using recycle d material shall be encouraged to protect the environment and to reduce the use of  
unrecovered natural resources  provided that relevant  laws and regulations are respected.  
4.4.4 Source separation  - Similar materials shall be  separated from other waste  at the site by category (such 
as wood, metal and concrete , gypsum,  drywall  board ) and sent to licensed facility for recycling.  
4.4.5 On-site processing  - Recyclable materials can be processed on site and made ready for reuse.  
4.4.6 C&D recycling shall be done by a licensed operator authorized by a competent authority.  
4.5 Removing and d isposing of C&D hazardous waste  
4.5.1 A contractor shall take into consideration safety and capability issues regarding  remov al and dispos al 
of C&D  hazardous waste . 
4.5.2  C&D hazardous w aste transport ation  and sit e clean -up shall be the responsibility of the  contractors . 
4.5.3  Any C&D waste m aterials shall be safely sorted and removed from other waste and disposed of in 
accordance with hazardo us waste disposal rules . 
4.5.4  Any material/substance that is qualified to be hazardous by a competent authority shall be handled in 
accordance with this  standard.  
4.6 Handling  
4.6.1  Construction and demolition waste shall be segregated at source. Inert and non -inert waste  shall be  
separately kept in different designated containers to separate recyclable materials from hazardous materials.  
4.6.2 The handler of such waste shall wear complete protective garments that shall include heavy -duty water 
resistant overalls, respirator and waste -resistant hand gloves.  For the safety and health of the waste -handler, 
hard hats, heavy -duty rubber gloves, boots with slip -resistant and puncture -resistant soles, chemical splash 
goggles  and respirators shall be provided.  
4.7 Storage  
4.7.1  Proper storage of C&D  materials and related hazardous waste  shall be put on site to prevent the 
discharge of pollutants to storm drains and watercourses . 
4.7.2  The contractor shall be prepared to respond to spills or leaks that occur anywhere on the project site.  DRS 367: 2017  
5                ©RSB 2017 - All rights reserved  
 4.8 Transportation of C&D hazardous  waste  
4.8.1  Where the designated waste transporter fails to meet the designed collection schedule th e waste  
generator shall have a stand -by system for the transportation of the waste to the disposal site.  
4.8.2  C&D materials that are potentially hazardous sh all be stored under watertight conditions, while still 
making them readily available for transport ation to disposal site.  
4.8.3  C&D debris shall be transported to a permitted facility by a  licensed  hazardous waste  transporter.  
4.8.4  Spill clean -up kits sh all be maintained on site at storage locations to facilitate and expedite clean up .  
4.8.5  Spills of C&D hazardous  waste  or materials, including any affected soil or water, sh all be stored as 
hazardous waste and disposed  of properly.  
4.9 Landfilling of C&D hazardous waste  
Disposal site for C&D hazardous waste shall comply with RS 18 2. The disposal methods are outlined in RS 
181. 
  
©RSB 2017 - All rights reserved                  6 
 Annex  A 
(informative)  
 
Origins and causes of construction waste  
Table 1  — Origins and causes of construction waste  
S/N 
Origins of waste  Causes of waste  
1.  Contractual  
 ● Errors in contract documents  
● Contract documents incomplete at commencement of construction  
2.  Design  
 ●Design changes  
●Design and construction detail errors  
● Unclear/unsuitable specification  
● Poor coordination and communication (late information, last minute 
client requirements, slow drawing revision and distribution  
3.  Procurement  
 ●Ordering errors (i.e., ordering items not in compliance with specification)  
● Over allowances (i.e., difficulti es to order small quantities)  
● Supplier errors  
4.  Transportation  
 ●Damage during transportation  
● Insufficient protection during unloading  
● Inefficient methods of unloading  
5.  On-site 
management and 
planning  
 ●Lack of on -site waste management plans  
● Improper planning for required quantities  
● Lack of on -site material control  
● Lack of supervision  
6.  Material storage  
 ●Inappropriate site storage space leading to damage or deterioration  
● Improper storing methods  
● Materials stored far away from p oint of application  
7.  Material handling  
 ●Materials supplied in loose form  
● On-site transportation methods from storage to the point of application  
● Inadequate material handling  
8.  Site operation  
 ●Accidents due to negligence  
● Equipment malfunction  
● Poor craftsmanship  
● Time pressure  
9.  Residual  
 ●Waste from application processes (i.e., over -preparation of mortar)  
● Packaging  
10.  Other  
 ●Weather  
● Vandalism  
 DRS 367: 2017  
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©RSB 2017 - All rights reserved                  8 
 Bibliography  
[1] RS 276-1, Electrical and electronic waste — Handling, collection, transportation and storage — Code of 
practice  
[2] RS 276 -2, Electrical and electronic waste — Treatment and disposal — Code of practice  
[3] RS 180, Solid waste disposal sites, guidelines for safe management — Code of practice  
[4] REG ULATIONS No 002/EWASTAN/SW/RURA/2015 of 24th/April/2015, GOVERNING SOLID WASTES 
RECYCLING IN RWANDA  
[5] SERSC 2015, Construction and Demolition Waste Management — A Review  
[6] Khor Jie Cheng, Md Azree Othuman Mydin 2014, Best Practice of Construction Waste  Management and 
Minimization  
[7] Scientific & Academic Publishing, 2014 , Waste Management Models and Their Applications on 
Construction Sites  
[8] AMERICA’S GREENEST JUNK REMOVAL SERVICE 2015, Contractor’s Guide to Construction Debris 
Removal  
[9] RURA 2016 REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE PROVISION OF SERVICES FOR HAZARDOUS WASTE 
MANAGEMENT  
 DRS 367: 2017  
ICS 13.030. 99 
 
 
©RSB 2017 - All right s reserved