Construction and demolition waste management. Current legislation and the potential of material upcycling.
Author
Bruckmann, Christina Stephanie
Term
4. Term
Publication year
2013
Submitted on
2013-06-04
Abstract
Dette speciale undersøger håndtering af bygge- og anlægsaffald (C&D) i en europæisk kontekst med udgangspunkt i Danmark og vurderer, hvordan gældende lovgivning påvirker potentialet for materialegenanvendelse og upcycling. Baggrunden er, at C&D‑affald er en af de største affaldsstrømme i EU med betydelige miljøpåvirkninger, men også med store muligheder for ressourceudnyttelse. Undersøgelsen kombinerer litteraturstudier, et casestudie af en dansk nedrivningsvirksomhed og en analyse af EU’s affaldsrammedirektiv for at belyse behandlingsmuligheder, branchepraksisser og styringsværktøjer. Resultaterne peger på flere barrierer for effektiv affaldshåndtering og opkvalificering af materialer: store forskelle i virksomheders praksis, utilstrækkelig regulering især vedrørende håndtering af farlige stoffer og kommunikation mellem myndigheder og virksomheder samt manglende uddannelse og viden om miljø-, sundheds- og forretningsmæssige gevinster ved ressourcegenvinding. Specialet anbefaler at knytte bygge- og nedrivningsled bedre sammen gennem udbuds- og indkøbsstrategier og foreslår en Demolition Recovery Index som aftalebaseret styringsredskab til at sikre korrekt sortering, øge genindførsel af materialer i nye byggerier og skabe mere fair konkurrencevilkår. Samlet peger studiet mod et skifte fra downcycling til upcycling i tråd med cirkulær økonomi og livscyklustænkning.
This thesis examines construction and demolition (C&D) waste management in a European context, with a Danish case focus, and assesses how current legislation shapes the potential for material recovery and upcycling. C&D waste is one of the largest waste streams in the EU, with notable environmental impacts but also significant opportunities for resource substitution. The study combines literature reviews, a case study with a Danish demolition company, and an evaluation of the EU Waste Framework Directive to map treatment options, business practices, and policy instruments. Findings point to multiple barriers to effective C&D waste management and upcycling: wide disparities in industry practices; an inadequate legal framework—particularly for handling hazardous materials and for communication between authorities and firms; and a lack of education and training that obscures both environmental and health risks and the economic feasibility of recovery. The thesis recommends closer integration of construction and demolition through procurement strategies and proposes a Demolition Recovery Index as a negotiated governance tool to secure proper sorting, ease the return of recovered materials to new building projects, and help level competition. Overall, the study argues for a shift from downcycling to upcycling aligned with the circular economy and life‑cycle thinking.
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