(3) to use environmental labelling of recycled (and non-recycled) products to
encourage awareness and stimulate a sustainable waste market.
7 Conclusion
In this paper, an analysis of CDW recycling and recovery was conducted, with the
objective to find possible applications of a life cycle approach in support to recycling practices policies. The first obstacle to a sustainable waste flow management
is the gaps in the database for monitoring CDW quantities. CDW is the main stream
of waste in EU-28, and almost 60% of the weight is composed of concrete and
masonry materials. It is possible to observe that many countries have already
abundantly achieved the target set by WFD of 70% recycled waste. The main
recycling practice focuses on inert waste. It is used as low performance application
(downcycling) of sub-base layers in roads and backfilling, since aggregate is used in
new concrete production or asphalt it requires high performance (following standard regulations).
Regarding the policies and incentives of some Member States, the analysis
shows that the most exemplary countries have many legislative instruments and
many non-legislative instruments (e.g. criteria in public tenders). Non-legislative
instruments play a crucial role in the waste management target. The Life Cycle
approach is needed in order to set more effective, for the environment, and more
cost-efficient, for stakeholders, policy targets. Policies at regional level should be
encouraged to move towards a Life Cycle Management, therefore achieving a
sustainable management of waste within a new definition of circular economy.
References
1. European Commission, COM 398 Towards a circular economy: A zero waste programme for
Europe. Brussels, 2014.
2. European Commission, COM 614 Closing the loop—An EU action plan for the Circular
Economy. Brussels, 2015.
3. Directive 2008/98/EC on waste (Waste Framework Directive). Official Journal of the
European Union. L 312/3.
4. Bio Intelligence Service, Service Contract on management of construction and demolition
waste SR1, 2011.
5. Member State, Resource Efficient Use of Mixed Waste, CDW Factsheet Final, 2015.
6. Pantini S, Rigamonti L, Evaluation of the mass balance of the construction and demolition
waste management system in Lombardy Region (Italy), CRETE 2016 Conference
Proceedings, 2016.
7. ISPRA, L’Italia del Riciclo, 2013, pp. 196–177.
8. Eurostat, Key figures on Europe, Belgium, 2016, pp. 161–164.
9. IDEA Consult (lead partner), Analysis of certain waste streams and the potential of Industrial
Symbiosis to promote waste as a resource for EU Industry, Final Report, Brussels, 2015.
220
S. Giorgi et al.
encourage awareness and stimulate a sustainable waste market.
7 Conclusion
In this paper, an analysis of CDW recycling and recovery was conducted, with the
objective to find possible applications of a life cycle approach in support to recycling practices policies. The first obstacle to a sustainable waste flow management
is the gaps in the database for monitoring CDW quantities. CDW is the main stream
of waste in EU-28, and almost 60% of the weight is composed of concrete and
masonry materials. It is possible to observe that many countries have already
abundantly achieved the target set by WFD of 70% recycled waste. The main
recycling practice focuses on inert waste. It is used as low performance application
(downcycling) of sub-base layers in roads and backfilling, since aggregate is used in
new concrete production or asphalt it requires high performance (following standard regulations).
Regarding the policies and incentives of some Member States, the analysis
shows that the most exemplary countries have many legislative instruments and
many non-legislative instruments (e.g. criteria in public tenders). Non-legislative
instruments play a crucial role in the waste management target. The Life Cycle
approach is needed in order to set more effective, for the environment, and more
cost-efficient, for stakeholders, policy targets. Policies at regional level should be
encouraged to move towards a Life Cycle Management, therefore achieving a
sustainable management of waste within a new definition of circular economy.
References
1. European Commission, COM 398 Towards a circular economy: A zero waste programme for
Europe. Brussels, 2014.
2. European Commission, COM 614 Closing the loop—An EU action plan for the Circular
Economy. Brussels, 2015.
3. Directive 2008/98/EC on waste (Waste Framework Directive). Official Journal of the
European Union. L 312/3.
4. Bio Intelligence Service, Service Contract on management of construction and demolition
waste SR1, 2011.
5. Member State, Resource Efficient Use of Mixed Waste, CDW Factsheet Final, 2015.
6. Pantini S, Rigamonti L, Evaluation of the mass balance of the construction and demolition
waste management system in Lombardy Region (Italy), CRETE 2016 Conference
Proceedings, 2016.
7. ISPRA, L’Italia del Riciclo, 2013, pp. 196–177.
8. Eurostat, Key figures on Europe, Belgium, 2016, pp. 161–164.
9. IDEA Consult (lead partner), Analysis of certain waste streams and the potential of Industrial
Symbiosis to promote waste as a resource for EU Industry, Final Report, Brussels, 2015.
220
S. Giorgi et al.