Brussels,

Construction and demolition waste

Construction and demolition waste (CDW) represents more than one-third of all waste generated in the ECDW includes concrete, bricks, wood, glass, metals, plastic, and other materials. The EU legislation covers waste from constructing, renovating, and demolishing buildings, infrastructure, and roads.

Recycling and Resource Potential

  • High Value Materials: Concrete, metals, and glass can often be recycled cost-effectively.
  • Varying Rates of Recycling: CDW recycling and recovery rates differ significantly across the EU, ranging from below 10% in some Member States to over 90% in others.
  • Barriers:
    • Lack of source separation, which can mix small amounts of hazardous substances (e.g., solvents, asbestos) into otherwise recyclable materials.
    • Different definitions of “construction and demolition waste” complicate cross-country comparisons.
  • Over 35% of EU waste arises from construction and demolition.
  • Some EU countries achieve over 90% recovery/recycling rates of CDW.
  • Others recycle less than 10%, showing a wide implementation gap.
  • Even small volumes of hazardous components (e.g., asbestos) can significantly affect the recyclability of CDW if not carefully separated.

EU Objectives and Legislation

  • ​​Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC)
    • 70% Target: By 2020, at least 70% by weight of non-hazardous CDW should be reused, recycled, or otherwise recovered.
    • Selective Demolition: Encourages safe removal of hazardous materials to increase high-quality recycling.
    • Waste Reduction: Aims to minimize the overall generation of CDW in line with circular economy principles.
  • Implementation Tools
  • Level(s) Framework
    • Voluntary Reporting System: Helps stakeholders measure and improve buildings’ environmental performance, promoting circularity throughout the building lifecycle. Level(s)
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Timeline of EU Action

  • 12 December 2008: Waste Framework Directive enters into force, placing CDW among priority waste streams.
  • 18 September 2018: Publication of the EU Construction and Demolition Waste Protocol and related Guidelines, strengthening best practices for management and selective demolition.

Looking Ahead

  • Circular Economy Shift: Better management of CDW will enhance resource efficiency, reduce environmental impacts, and cut greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Selective Demolition and Audits: Growing emphasis on auditing buildings/infrastructure prior to demolition to maximize high-quality material recovery.
  • National Implementation: EU Member States remain at different stages of compliance; further efforts and harmonized definitions could improve cross-border data and performance.