Implementing a circular economy in regional Australia: who bears the economic costs in construction projects?

Implementation challenges and the lack of regionally focused interventions are some critiques of circular economy models in the literature. This study examines barriers to adoption of circularity in construction projects through a case study set in the regional town of Alice Springs, Australia, using data from in-depth interviews of various stakeholders (clients, contractors, recyclers etc.). Examining construction waste through a socio-technical transition lens highlighted the impact of clients’ decision-making, high transport costs and prevalence of small businesses on circularity in regional towns. These findings demonstrate the need for developing context-based solutions for incentivising uptake of circular economy initiatives.