It is time to align our economic model for the future of the European Union
6/07/2020
Article by Mr. Kestutis Sadauskas (DG ENVIRONMENT – EUROPEAN COMMISSION) included in EDI Special Publication 2020
Since the beginning of the 20th century, global material extraction has increased 14 times, reaching 84 billion tonnes. The use of metallic and non-metallic minerals has grown the most – by 39 and 45 times respectively.
At the same time, more than 50 % of the urban areas projected for 2050 have not been built yet. If current trends continue, global resource extraction will more than double between by 2050, exceeding 180 billion tonnes.
Population growth, rising consumption levels and urbanization will put enormous strain on the planet’s
resources, while sustainable development requires reaching carbon neutrality by 2050 and urgently halting the biodiversity crisis.
The circular economy is an essential part of the EU response to the need to align our economic model with the carrying capacity of our planet and this response cannot be complete without addressing construction.
Construction materials dominate total materials use, they have significant carbon footprint, and represent the biggest source of waste, amounting to a third of waste generation in the EU.
Construction and demolition waste (CDW) has a high potential for recycling and re-use and advancing
rapidly on ensuring clean and lean material cycles for this stream remains a priority.
Some of its components such as metals have a high value, while others such as minerals may have a lower value, but could nonetheless be easily reprocessed into new materials for use in various construction projects such as roads, foundations, drainage, and sound and water barriers.
The EU’s main objective for CDW is twofold. On the one hand, EU legislation aims to ensure the environmentally sound management of this waste stream and it hazardous fractions. On the other hand, it aims to reap the full potential of waste as a resource in a circular economy.
In order to keep valuable materials in the economy for longer, the 2018 revision of Directive 2008/98/EC on waste introduced more ambitious provisions on waste prevention. Those provisions explicitly require Member States to promote repair and re-use and reduce waste generation in construction and demolition.
Furthermore, Member States are now required to promote selective demolition in order to enable removal and safe handling of hazardous substances and facilitate re-use and high-quality recycling.
Sorting systems have to be established at least for wood, mineral fractions (concrete, bricks, tiles and ceramics, stones), metal, glass, plastic and plaster in CDW.
The Commission has been supporting sustainable management of CDW through EU Guidelines for
audits before demolition of buildings and a CDW Management Protocol.
The complex and heterogeneous nature of CDW presents a challenge in identifying and dealing with its
hazardous fractions.
Hazardous materials that can be found in certain CDW flows include asbestos in construction materials and in insulation, bituminous materials, PCBs in floorings and sealants and in all types of materials contaminated with hazardous substances or mixtures (such as lead-based paints). Efforts to segregate these materials should start at the stage of pre-demolition planning.
Europe’s transition towards a circular economy requires ambition and commitment amongst policy makers and businesses alike. Therefore, the Commission will propose a New Circular Economy Action Plan focusing on sustainable resource use, especially in resource-intensive and high impact sectors such as construction.
“This article was received before the publication of the new Circular Economy Action Plan”.
