RECYCLING OF CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTE AN OVERVIEW OF RILEM ACHIEVEMENTS AND STATE OF THE ART IN THE EUJOHAN

Technical research work on recycling started in RILEM back in 1981 in the TC 37-DRC chaired by Torben Hansen. The initial theoretical work on Demolition and Recycling of Concrete was quickly followed by industry driven actions as the interest in the topic was growing in practice. TC 121-DRG undertook under the leadership of Erik Lauritzen to come up with Guidelines for Demolition and Reuse of concrete in 1989. Environmental legislation in Europe has been putting the topic of Construction and Demolition waste high on the agenda in recent year especially under impetus of northern Europe where now up to 90% of all the C& D waste is being recycled as part of a focus on sustainable construction and circular economy. Most recently in its communication on 'Resource Efficiency Opportunities in the Building Sector' COM ( 2014) 445 the European commission focusses on the establishment of a common European approach to assess the environmental performance of buildings throughout their lifecycle, taking into account the use of resources such as energy, materials and water. The Commission announces in this context to support projects in H2020, COSME and Life+ related to research, innovation and demonstration showcasing how collaboration between public authorities and the private sector can create viable markets with recycled materials. In the endeavor to fully implement a circular economy approach in the construction sector quality control and traceability of the origin of demolition waste is of utmost importance.