| dc.description.abstract | The high rates of natural resource consumption and waste generation contribute to the high environmental impacts of the construction industry. The use of recycled aggregate from Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) processing, although it is strongly encouraged by Brazilian law it, is still incipient. However, either the sand mining process as waste processing generate environmental impacts and must follow a series of laws and limits of different aspects. In this context, the objective of this study wasto analyze the environmental aspects and impacts of natural sand extraction compared to the processing of recycled household waste from construction and demolition. The first stage of the research was to find the sand extraction mines and plants of recycling of waste from construction and demolition, nationwide, through literature searches, government sites and civil organizations. In the second stage of the research, to undertake the assessments of significance of environmental aspects and impacts two entreprises were visited, one construction and demolition waste (CDW) recycling plant in Metropolitan Porto Alegre and sand extraction quarry in Mesoregion East Center Rio Grande. Both processes presented critical impact rating, ie, which lead to irreversible damage to the environment. To determine the risk class in which the air quality falls, measurements were made of particulate matter concentrations and determined the sulfation rate. Only the emission of particulate matter presented values above established by current legislation. By quantifying the sound pressure level, it was evident the need for use of equipments for individual safety (EIF) during operation of the dredge mining and crusher. The calculation of CO2 emissions indicated that because of large displacements cause the next extracted using natural sand consumption is less harmful than the recycled aggregate, considering the lack of plants in all regions. However, in places where there is no natural sand deposits, the installation of recycling plants becomes urgent. | en |
