At the European Parliament in Strasbourg, UEPG President Arnaud Colson has launched a Vision for the European Aggregates Industry at the UEPG Delegates Assembly.
To construct and maintain hospitals, schools, private homes, roads, railways, water channels, dams and dykes for flood protection, beach refurbishment and coastal protection, Europe needs 2.7 billion tonnes of aggregates each year.
Aggregates are the most used bulk material on the planet, and the question is not whether we need aggregates, but where and how to get the raw materials in the most sustainable way. UEPG (the
The European aggregates industry has an annual production of 2.7 billion tonnes of sand, gravel, crushed rock, recycled and manufactured aggregates and marine aggregates produced by 15,000 companies (most of which are SMEs) with 25,000 quarries and pits, employing directly and indirectly almost 230,000 people.
It also develops a health and safety culture in Europe through the creation of dedicated committees in each of its Member Associations and by sharing good practice.
More than 150 biodiversity cases studies are available online to demonstrate the compatibility of aggregates extraction with environmental protection.
UEPG promotes triennial Sustainable Development Awards in order to recognise and further promote excellence in the industry in all three pillars of sustainable development as described in the Industry Vision.
Looking to 2020, ten key ambitions have been identified, to be tackled together with
1. To place excellence in health and safety at the centre of our activities with the objective of Zero Harm to all industry employees, contractors and sub-contractors and visitors by 2020.
2. To ensure sustainable access to primary local resources, optimising transport, with the aim of land-use for extraction to be recognised as an activity of public interest similar to agriculture, forestry, water and nature and should receive the same priority.
3. To develop the circular economy through efficiency, recycling and restoration to demonstrate the contribution of the aggregates industry to the Circular Economy by 2020.
4. To assist in improving a streamlined national land use planning and permitting policy to encourage and assist all UEPG members to have a national aggregates planning policy in place by 2020.
5. To create and maintain a level playing field through consistent implementation of EU law with the aim of consistent implementation and enforcement of existing EU/ national legislation by 2020.
6. To promote the compatibility of aggregates extraction and the environment, with the objective for UEPG to assist its members in achieving that responsible aggregates extraction should not be automatically prohibited for environmental reasons.
7. To improve public awareness of aggregates extraction as beneficial to society for every UEPG member to have a national public relations campaign in place by 2020 to ensure positive
appreciation of the benefits of the sector to society.
8. To promote the added value of the aggregates industry for local communities, with the objective to encourage UEPG members to undertake public events, develop communication tools and PR training by 2020.
9. To showcase the Industry as an attractive career, in particular for young people and to encourage UEPG members to raise awareness in public relations, job agencies and educational institutions about the career opportunities for both genders.
10. To ensure responsible sourcing and excellence in customer service and satisfaction to get Industry recognised as a trusted and responsible supplier of goods and services with all its customers in the downstream sectors, particularly the concrete and asphalt industries.
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