Harnessing Secondary Resources for Sustainable and Circular Practices in the Construction Sector: A Scoping Review

The construction sector is heading towards more sustainable practices by focusing on the utilization of secondary materials previously considered waste. These include by-products generated in other industrial sectors, which are considered to be secondary resources for construction applications. Among them, cellulose, mining tailings, and metallurgy slags are particularly significant due to their prevalence and the volume of waste they represent. These materials are generated in vast quantities globally, posing environmental challenges, but also presenting substantial opportunities for reuse in construction, thereby reducing landfill use and promoting resource efficiency. Additionally, the reuse of cellulose, tailings, and slag has a substantial environmental impact. Transforming them into valuable construction resources can significantly reduce the environmental footprint associated with extracting and processing new raw materials. The growing use of cellulose in products like insulation and fiberboards, and the incorporation of tailings and slags into concrete and road materials, underscores the feasibility of these practices. Despite these promising developments, challenges such as economic feasibility, technological limitations, and regulatory issues continue to limit their full potential. This article presents a scoping literature review that systematically identifies and synthesizes the existing research on the reuse of these three industrial by-product streams in construction. A structured search was carried out in scientific databases, and relevant publications were analyzed in terms of reuse strategies, technical performance, environmental benefits, and barriers to adoption. The review concludes by highlighting the key innovations and strategic pathways needed to overcome current barriers, thus supporting the transition toward a more sustainable and circular construction industry.