Transfering Member States experience into legislation
FEAD, FIR and Recycling Europe have a solid international membership base. In their efforts for a push towards more circularity for mineral waste, they identified countries with recycling rates of CDW waste of 70% and more as role models for the suggested improvements of the CEA. Common recognised success factors for a stronger circular material management are:
- a well-coordinated national plan
- an integrated set of measures
- a robust tracking and tracing system
- effective industry-led quality control and quality assurance
The original paper can be downloaded via this link
Main recommendations at a glance
The current development of the CEA is seen as the best legislative opportunity to bring change to the handling of CDW. The following aspects take centre stage in the joint association paper.
Promoting demand for recycled aggregates
Market development takes centre stage in the promotional measures. It is recommended that all Member States design market tools for the stimulation of demand. Priority should be given to targeted market-pulling:
- Define new green public procurement criteria to encourage recycled aggregate use as part of the Public Procurement Act
- Stimulate demand for concrete and mortar by leveraging the Industrial Accelerator Act
- Recycled content targets to increase the usage of recycled aggregates
- Reduction of VAT for recycled in order for recyclers to compete directly with primary material manufacturers
In that context the signatories point out that overly administrative controls and burdens for recylers in regard to currently planned End-of-Waste criteria must be avoided as that could undermine CDW recycling ambitions.
Setting a 70 % target for CDW recycling
Referring to the Waste Framework Directive, the feasibility and timeline for a European target of 70 % for inert CDW – excluding backfilling in that calculation – should be assessed by the commission. The exclusion of backfilling in this rate shall encourage high-end use, while still permitting backfilling as recycling option. Use of untreated CDW shall no longer be permitted. As market for recycled aggregates evolve over time, pure backfilling of CDW is expected to become economically less attractive.
Developing national CDW management plans
The 70% recycling target must be detailed by strategies in the form of national CDW plans. In general, Member States are free to decide t which action they see fit to reach the target in time. Best practices from other EU countries can be drawn on. National plans should relate to actions by public authorities to e.g. divert CDW from landfill as well as define the role of the industry. Key aspects in the discussions with the construction sector should refer to selective demolition, asbestos management, market development of recycled aggregates and technical requirements for application in construction.
Monitoring and tracking on the “say-it-once” principle
Currently insufficiently available statistical data is seen as a significant barrier for CDW to be recognised and managed as valuable resource. Therefore, quantities of waste and quantities of recycled materials should be recorded and reported for mobile and stationary CDW recycling activities, while making sure that in countries where this data is already gathered from operators, the respective data system allows for this reporting statistics so that dual recording is avoided.
Upcoming legislative EU initiatives offer the ideal opportunity for an urgently needed change. The joint association paper demonstrates in detail, that knowledge, technologies and experiences are sufficiently available to unlock the full circular potential of CDW. This is why FEAD, FIR and Recycling Europe require the commission now to introdue practical and targeted measures that will accelerate high-quality recycling of construction and demoliontn waste and establish a level competitive playing field for recycled aggregates.
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