Construction & Demolition debris management for sustainable reconstruction after disasters: Italian case studies

The Italian earthquakes of recent decades created an emergency situation that required immediate post-earthquake reconstruction policies, which led to an increase in the demand for construction minerals. In particular, extraction in active quarries has been intensified, and new quarries opened according to extraordinary procedures notwithstanding current regulations. The objective of this work is to investigate the consequences that a seismic event may produce on both the built-up environment, i.e. the totality of urban and suburban settlements and infrastructure, and the natural environment, which is often compromised by hasty emergency procedures aimed at mineral extraction. As a result, correct evaluation of the demand for minerals and the recycling of earthquake debris are the fundamental elements of coherent post seismic reconstruction, by means of which post-earthquake policies could be reconciled with environmental protection.