Purpose: The utilisation of products with recycled content (PwRC) in construction projects has been identified as a targeted way to achieve sustainable management of construction and demolition waste resources. However, sustainable applications of these resources are subject to a wide array of factors that demand a thorough investigation. This study, therefore, explores the motivations, barriers and strategies for optimal PwRC uptake using a multiple-case study approach.Design/methodology/approach: This study adopted an interpretive multiple-case study approach. The case studies were selected from recently completed construction projects including two infrastructure projects, one commercial project and one residential project. A series of semi-structured interviews were carried out to collect the data. For each case study, four participants were interviewed; these participants represented design, client, supply and building teams.Findings: The study revealed the main barriers, motivations and opportunities for adoption of PwRC resources in four construction projects. These factors are believed to influence the utilisation of PwRC to varying extents and/or in diverse ways. The findings also suggest that there is a significant opportunity for stakeholders to adopt more sustainable waste management practices, and the use of institutional drivers can help achieve this goal.Research limitations/implications: The primary research contribution of the study lies in proposing three key research directions: investigating regulatory constraints impacting the use of PwRC, addressing supply chain challenges and enhancing quality assurance.Originality/value: The research has a practical contribution to the industry through a suite of actionable strategies to increase the uptake of PwRC. The strategies are mostly focussed on stakeholders' education, the regulation that supports PwRC and project management planning. The two major motivations – referring to two of the three pillars of sustainability (economy and environment) – provide a basis for organisational changes to ensure achieving sustainability in construction activities.

In 2018–2019, 85% of discarded plastics were landfilled in Australia. In Western Australia (WA), only 5.6% of plastics were recovered for reprocessing. With several Asian Countries imposing import restrictions, which were the prime destination for recyclables from Australia, the whole scenario for the waste industry has changed. Australia has now adopted export bans for recyclables, including plastics. WA is at a fork in the road; WA needs to rethink its relationship with plastic materials. This study explores how to create local markets for recycled plastics underpinning circular principles. The study examines barriers and drivers to enable markets for recycled plastics in WA through questionnaires, surveys, and interviews with relevant stakeholders. Poor source separation, low and inconsistent plastic waste feedstock, and virgin plastic competition are some of the challenges, while new investments in recycling infrastructure, WA’s take-back scheme for beverage containers and circularity frameworks are drivers. This study concludes that a modulated fee-based product stewardship model focused on product design, along with strategies such as green procurement and landfill management modifications would promote a circular plastic waste economy in WA. This can create markets for secondary recycled plastics, minimize the over-reliance on fossil fuels and prevent plastics from leaking into ecosystems.

The built environment sector is a major contributor to global waste generation, prompting urgent calls for the sector's transition towards a circular economy (CE). Utilising products with recycled content (PwRC) in construction activities is widely recognised as an effective strategy to support this transition. The opimal utilsiation of these resources warrants supportive policies. There is a limited understanding of how the key stakeholders in the sector perceive these policies. This study investigates the perceptions of key stakeholders regarding the relevance, effectiveness, and limitations of 17 CE policies influencing the uptake of PwRC in Australia. The study employed a semi-structured survey and captured 62 responses representing various stakeholders on 17 CE policies. The findings reveal varying levels of familiarity with the CE policies studied. Furthermore, most survey respondents view current policy frameworks as insufficient in promoting the use of recycled content in construction, underscoring gaps in perceived CE policy effectiveness, particularly in national versus state-level prioritisation. Key policies such as Extended Producer Responsibility, Sustainable Procurement and Carbon Pricing Scheme were identified as having the most significant positive impacts for PwRC optimal uptake in construction projects. The study provides actionable insights for policymakers to clarify and standardise specific areas, enhancing stakeholders' confidence and engagement in circular practices and PwRC utilisation. Furthermore, it highlights the need for integrated policy approaches that address unintended consequences and foster a supportive policy mix for circular practices in the sector.