Concrete measures required for building waste

In the wake of mass demolitions, experts said untreated construction waste has become a major problem for the Chinese economy, and the low utilization rate poses a threat to the environment. They have called for tougher legal measures, improved recycling technologies, and preferential policies to solve the problem.

In 2013, the volume of construction waste reached 1 billion metric tons, 74 percent of which came from demolition work, according to the National Development and Reform Commission's annual October report on the utilization of resources.

With just 50 million tons recycled to make materials such as aggregate, which is used in concrete, the utilization rate of the trash - waste soil and other materials cast off during construction, demolition and development work - was just 5 percent.