Tackling waste in Europe’s construction industry
Collaborative efforts and innovative initiatives highlighted at recent EU meeting
Europe's building industry has a waste problem, with construction and demolition waste (C&D) representing the largest waste stream, accounting for 40 percent of all waste generated. To explore initiatives to solve this issue, 65 participants from the European Commission, along with 14 LIFE and other EU-funded projects, gathered for a two-day meeting. During the meeting, they discussed barriers to reducing, reusing, and recycling building waste, as well as possible solutions currently being trialed by architects and builders.
LIFE WASTE2BUILD, for example, developed a digital marketplace where builders can both buy and sell high-quality recycled building materials from demolition sites located in and around Toulouse, France. LIFE CIRRCON produces reinforced concrete in Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands using crushed aggregates from demolition sites combined with binders made from recycled materials.
"We have the potential to transform the way concrete is produced and used in the construction industry," says Atteyeh Natanzi, R&D manager at LIFE CIRRCON project partner Techcrete. "Reusing recycled binding material not only reduces waste but also decreases reliance on non-renewable resources."
Among other LIFE projects presenting at the meeting were LIFE ECO TILES, which makes iconic Italian terrazzo tiles from recycled urban glass and ceramic waste; CIRCWASTE, which aims to eliminate bottlenecks as Finland transitions to a fully circular economy; and I-LOOP LIFE, a ‘closed loop solution' for recycling and reusing glass wool used for thermal or sound insulation.
"Recycling and reusing construction waste is a shared responsibility," says Florian Flachenecker, EU policy officer. "It's not just construction companies — architects, consumers, and policy makers, all need to shift their mindset to support circularity."
"Meetings such as this are very valuable," added Alfons Ventura, project manager at More-LIFE-toLEVELs, which applies the EU Level(s) assessment and reporting framework to 11 construction sites across Europe. "They give us an opportunity to share insights, hear the latest news and exchange views with EU policy makers. It's important to avoid working in silos."
The meeting also covered the latest developments in EU policies, regulations, and protocols relating to C&D waste, including the EU-wide End-of-Waste (EoW) Criteria, new Construction Products Regulation, revised EU Construction & Demolition Waste Management Protocol, and the Digital Product Passports and the CPR Acquis process.
Among the EU policies and strategies supported by the LIFE projects are the EU Directives on waste, landfill waste, energy end-use efficiency and energy services; the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, EU Strategy on adaptation to climate change; the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation, and the European Green Deal.
