UEPG backs EU Protocol on C&D Waste and DDR Expo

UEPG has helped shape the new EU Protocol for the Management of Construction and Demolition Waste, both key secondary raw materials. It’s also backing a new Expo in this sector

Avoidance of waste, re-use and refurbishment of buildings, increasing the life-span of construction products and recycling of Construction and Demolition waste are important aspects of sustainable construction. As such, they all feature significantly in the EU’s Circular Economy policy. In this context, recycling and re-using construction and demolition waste has become the subject of a new Protocol introduced by the European Commission. This Protocol introduces non-binding guidelines for the construction and demolition industry and the European Aggregates Industry. The overarching aim of this initiative is to promote a more efficient use of resources, reduce the environmental impact throughout an almost full life cycle, increase confidence in the construction and demolition waste management process and the trust in the quality of recycled materials.

962 UEPG has contributed to the development of this recently published EU Protocol for the Management of Construction and Demolition Waste and organised a site visit with the Ecorys consultants involved in the development of the Protocol, for a better understanding of technical details and the functioning of quarries and recycling plants. This site visit was organised by the UEPG Recycling Aggregates task force chair, Brian James from the UK’s Mineral Products Association. Actively involved in the policy-making process and improvement of the sector at European level, UEPG contributed to the development of the “end-of-waste criteria” and succeeded in providing key messages on reservations on the use of market-based instruments and the need to address illegal activities.

Demolition, Decontamination and Recycling Expo (DDR Expo)

In order to promote the circular economy and the Aggregates Industry’s contribution, UEPG has become an official partner to the European Demolition Association for the first trade fair of DDR Expo, encouraging resource efficiency opportunities in the building sector. The event is to take place between 14 and 16 June 2017, in Brussels.

The DDR Expo will be the first European trade fair specialised in demolition, decontamination and recycling. Beyond a fair trade bringing together clients and service providers, the DDR Expo will offer the opportunity to meet the decision-makers from all over Europe and to find out about all the novelties of the industry. It will be a unique opportunity where all players from associations to contractors to European Commission Officers and other related stakeholders will be able to meet, discuss and work together on the development of the industry.

The DDR Expo is organised by the European Demolition Association (EDA) in partnership with EDI (the European Decontamination Institute) and with the support of National Associations, professional associations and other institutions engaged in related activities. UEPG offered its support to EDA and became an official partner of the DDR Expo in the aim to encourage a more sustainable future for the sector.

UEPG’s Recycling Remit

UEPG, the European Aggregates Association, represents the largest non-energy extractive industry in Europe, producing 2.7 billion tonnes of aggregates per year, at 26,000 extraction sites, operated by over 15,000 companies (mostly SMEs). UEPG has Members in 27 countries. Aggregates are granular material used in construction comprising sand, gravel, crushed rock, marine aggregates, manufactured and recycled aggregates. Recycled aggregates derive from reprocessed materials previously used in construction, including construction and demolition residues as defined in European Standards. UEPG has a Task Force dedicated to recycled aggregates, working actively on the promotion of efficient and sustainable use of raw materials to make the circular economy a reality.

UEPG has published its key messages in a Recycling leaflet, available on the UEPG website.