from 2010, when it stood at 68.4%) and landfilling remains 24% (however,
recovered is over than 70%). However, according to WFD, the recycling rate
includes reuse, recycling (and other forms of material recovery), as well as
backfilling.
Moreover, there are still differences in national calculations: some countries’
percentage still contains soil; others do not distinguish between hazardous and
non-hazardous CDW and consider total amount. One other main point is the destination of waste recycled to understand if the practices follow measures to promote
high quality recycling, as promoted by WFD.
An important overview of the trade market of CDW and hence the destination of
waste is given by the final report of European Commission, written by IDEA
Consult [9]. This report shows the general situation of waste trade in the EU, in
particular the main stream of mineral waste, completed on collected data from many
sources (Eurostat 2010, Koumpanis 2008, EAPA 2010, ANPAR 2011, UEPG
2014). The 10% of waste is from new construction, 75% from demolition and 15%
from road construction. The IDEA Consult report [9] demonstrates that after collection, around 11% of CDW is sent to backfilling, and 18% is brought to a landfill.
The remaining 71% is separated into different materials. Metal, plastic and wood,
which are a small percentage with respect to the total amount, come out of the
process as recyclable material or energy recoverable. The remaining big amount of
inert is recycled (on-site, in order to produce secondary aggregates that are used
again in the production of new construction materials, or off-site in stationary
recycling plants, where it is separated and crushed) or, when the waste is not
contaminated, it is reused, after the cleaning or transforming operation. The 71%
includes either reused, recycling, recovery and backfilling activities, such as the use
of recycled aggregates (secondary material) to restore mining works. The secondary
material goes to the industries in a small portion and the remaining goes to the
backfilling (the percentage is unknown).
Concrete, masonry, and mixed demolition debris, after crushing (and certifying
the quality) become recycled aggregates, constituting: Recycled Concrete
Aggregates (with a large concrete content), Recycled Masonry Aggregates (with a
large bricks and mortar content) or Mixed Recycled Aggregates [10].
All of the recycled aggregates types can be used as low performance application
in sub-base layers in roads, ground improvements and building foundations.
Aggregate use in concrete production requires high density and cleaner fraction,
and the use of recycled aggregates in asphalt is limited due to mechanical characteristics, as regulated by standards (e.g. EN 12,620, Aggregates for concrete; EN
13,043 Aggregate for bituminous mixtures and surface treatments for roads, airfields and other trafficked areas). In fact, in civil construction and industrial product
(such as gypsum, concrete, ceramic and bricks productions) only 6% of material
used is from recycled material, while 94% come from virgin materials [9]. It is
possible to understand that the major applications of recycling aggregate are
downcycling. This issue is also favoured by the fact that in most countries the
production of natural aggregates dominates [9]. In the Flemish Region, the main
CDW are recycled granulates, mainly used for road construction and similar
Guidelines for Effective and Sustainable …
215
recovered is over than 70%). However, according to WFD, the recycling rate
includes reuse, recycling (and other forms of material recovery), as well as
backfilling.
Moreover, there are still differences in national calculations: some countries’
percentage still contains soil; others do not distinguish between hazardous and
non-hazardous CDW and consider total amount. One other main point is the destination of waste recycled to understand if the practices follow measures to promote
high quality recycling, as promoted by WFD.
An important overview of the trade market of CDW and hence the destination of
waste is given by the final report of European Commission, written by IDEA
Consult [9]. This report shows the general situation of waste trade in the EU, in
particular the main stream of mineral waste, completed on collected data from many
sources (Eurostat 2010, Koumpanis 2008, EAPA 2010, ANPAR 2011, UEPG
2014). The 10% of waste is from new construction, 75% from demolition and 15%
from road construction. The IDEA Consult report [9] demonstrates that after collection, around 11% of CDW is sent to backfilling, and 18% is brought to a landfill.
The remaining 71% is separated into different materials. Metal, plastic and wood,
which are a small percentage with respect to the total amount, come out of the
process as recyclable material or energy recoverable. The remaining big amount of
inert is recycled (on-site, in order to produce secondary aggregates that are used
again in the production of new construction materials, or off-site in stationary
recycling plants, where it is separated and crushed) or, when the waste is not
contaminated, it is reused, after the cleaning or transforming operation. The 71%
includes either reused, recycling, recovery and backfilling activities, such as the use
of recycled aggregates (secondary material) to restore mining works. The secondary
material goes to the industries in a small portion and the remaining goes to the
backfilling (the percentage is unknown).
Concrete, masonry, and mixed demolition debris, after crushing (and certifying
the quality) become recycled aggregates, constituting: Recycled Concrete
Aggregates (with a large concrete content), Recycled Masonry Aggregates (with a
large bricks and mortar content) or Mixed Recycled Aggregates [10].
All of the recycled aggregates types can be used as low performance application
in sub-base layers in roads, ground improvements and building foundations.
Aggregate use in concrete production requires high density and cleaner fraction,
and the use of recycled aggregates in asphalt is limited due to mechanical characteristics, as regulated by standards (e.g. EN 12,620, Aggregates for concrete; EN
13,043 Aggregate for bituminous mixtures and surface treatments for roads, airfields and other trafficked areas). In fact, in civil construction and industrial product
(such as gypsum, concrete, ceramic and bricks productions) only 6% of material
used is from recycled material, while 94% come from virgin materials [9]. It is
possible to understand that the major applications of recycling aggregate are
downcycling. This issue is also favoured by the fact that in most countries the
production of natural aggregates dominates [9]. In the Flemish Region, the main
CDW are recycled granulates, mainly used for road construction and similar
Guidelines for Effective and Sustainable …
215