20
MAY-JUNE 2015
d
&
ri
INTERVIEW
the transport infrastructure and increased
CO
2
emissions.”
“Also, the extraction and transport of the
correspondingprimarymaterials use ahuge
amount of energy– resourceswhich, in the
best case scenario, couldmostlybe saved if
mineralwastewere recycled locally.”
“Theproduct status that EQAR is seeking
for quality-assured recycled construction
materialswould thereforehave adirect impact
onEU sustainabilityobjectives and, not least,
offer significant savingpotential, especially in
public construction that’s financedby taxes.”
“In this respectwe think it shouldbe
the responsibilityof theEUCommission to
createEuropean regulations for construction
material recycling as quickly as possible and
thereby consistentlypromote construction
recycling.”
CURRENT STATE OF PLAY
With regard to the current situation regarding
constructionmaterial recycling inEurope,
Marc-JohannBollig said: “Unfortunately it
says a lot about theEuropeanpolicy that there
areno consistent statistics onwaste available.
So, the total amount of recyclablemineral
waste inEurope canonlybe estimated andnot
reflectedby any sound statistical data.”
“EQAR calculates the amount ofmineral
waste inEurope at over 1billion tons per
annum. There are someuncertainties,
for instance in the statistical recordingof
soilswhich, for example, when reused in
construction, are also considered as an
alternative constructionmaterial inGermany,
but arenot classed asmineralwaste inother
EUmember states.”
“Nor are actual recycling rates recorded
consistently inEurope. In someEU states, the
fillingof open castmines is also considered
as reclamation and is therefore included in
the recycling and reclamation rates. Ifwe
consider only the actual processingofmineral
construction anddemolitionwaste into
recycled constructionmaterials, the recycling
rates inEuropemight varybetween almost
0% andover 80%.”
Hewent on: “Against the backgroundof
the 70% target set by theEUWasteDirective,
in thewholeof Europe, at themomentwe
probablyhave a recycling rate of 50%– seen
in absolute terms therefore, some 500million
tons ofmineralwaste is beingdisposedof
every year, forwhichmore recycling channels
have tobe created in thenext five years.”
He continued: “Because there is no
European regulation, in a lot of European
member states, so-calledwastedecrees
have been created formineral construction
materials, or are about tobe adopted.
However, thenational regulations differ
considerably, both in the scope of the scrutiny
or expenditureon it, and also in technical and
environmental characteristics. A cross-border
or evenpan-European trade in recycled
constructionmaterials is therefore impossible.
This is another clear disadvantage compared
toprimary constructionmaterials, theuse
ofwhichhas been subject toharmonisedEU
regulation formany years.”
"The existingnationalwastedecrees
and theEuropean regulations that are
still to appear are themain topic of the
2015EuropeanConstructionMaterial
RecyclingConvention, heldon8thMay in
Rotterdam, theNetherlands. Togetherwith
representatives of theEuropeanParliament,
theEUCommission, science and the recycling
industry, EQARdiscussed current trends in
European constructionmaterial recycling.
We examined the industry’s activities in the
individualmember states and alsoproposed
innovative solutions forConstruction
Recycling in the context of the 2015European
ConstructionRecyclingAward.We already
havenumerous applications, eachwith very
convincingprojects regarding the recycling
of constructionmaterials. The applications
range from scientificworkonoptimising the
recycling capabilityof buildings, through
newplant technologies to innovative recycled
products. It’s not going tobe easy for the jury
to select aprizewinner from amongst these.”
“The event is takingplace at theREKO
B.V. companywhich, inRotterdam, is
operatingEurope’s largest andmostmodern
high temperature installation for construction
waste containingpolyaromatichydrocarbons."
With theEQARqualitymark for recycled
constructionmaterials, the association is
making its own contribution toEuropean
standardisation. Butwhat are theobjectives,
andhow is it being acceptedbyproducers and
buyers?
In answer,HerrBollig said: “With the
EQARqualitymark, we are offeringquality
assurance for recycled constructionmaterials
acrossEurope. This is basedon an initial
inspection, continuousmonitoringby a
European accredited test institute and regular
in-houseproduction inspections. Thequality
directive covers inspections on the input
andoutputmaterial including thenecessary
documentation. Thequalitymark is granted
to companieswhoseproductsmeet the
relevant European construction standards
and the environmental requirements. In this
respect, both thenational environmental
requirements and also– inplaceswherenone
exist,minimumEuropean standards – are
inspected.
He added: “EQARquality assurance is
a system that can adapt flexibly to future
technical and environmental requirements
and also takes account of technological
developments in the areaof supply. Sowe
want to effectively expel, right now, any
reservations that evenpublic clientsmight
have regarding recycled construction
materials and sustainably increase their
acceptance as effective, economical and
environmentally-friendly alternatives to
primarymaterials.”
Thenext questionwas concerning the
association’s promotingmembers andwhat
do they think about demanding stronger
regulationon recycling?
According toHerrWierichs:
“Manufacturers benefit from the great
proximity toourmemberswho, yes, do
represent their potential end customers.
But equally as important for them is the
early identificationof any tendencies and
trends occurring inpractice, through active
collaboration, andbeing able to influence
technical development directly. That applies
particularly to improvements in the areas of
product quality, safety and environmental
protection as central requirements of high
qualityplant technology.”
He continued: “Because there areno
specifications on aEuropean level, all of our
promotingmembers are clearlybenefiting
frombeing involvedwithEQAR in the areaof
recycling. As an example, as an international
manufacturer, Sandvik is supporting
our demand for an end todumping and
therefore a clearlydefinedproduct status
for recycled constructionmaterials.With
their enormous range inoneof the strongest
economic areas, European standards canbe
held as amodel, especiallywith regard to
environmental protection and sustainable
resourcemanagement. Sandvik andother
plantmanufacturers canuse this opportunity,
with theplant concepts theyhavedeveloped
inEurope, to take the technological leadon
theworldmarket.Howmuch impetus the
EUCommission cangeneratewith really
little expenditurewe, as endusers, canwell
estimatewith examples such as the emissions
or energy efficiencyorder.”
He added: “Wehope that thedevelopment
sought byEQARwill, on thewhole, bring
clearermarket structures for thewhole
of Europe. Thiswill benefit both sides if
we assume that resource-friendly control
measures, such as excavation restrictions
anddumpingbans, will be implemented as
announced. The starting situation for this is
illustratedquitewell by these figures: In2012,
despite a relatively good recycling rateof 70%
for constructionwaste, inGermanyonly12%
of thedemand for aggregateswas coveredby
recycledmaterials. In future, it appears even
morenecessary for recycling and rawmaterial
extraction to supplement eachother rather
thanbe in competitionwith eachother."
■
EuropeanQuality Association
for Recycling e.V. (EQAR)
Kronenstrasse 55-58,
D-10117Berlin, Germany
Phone: 0049(0)3020314575
