Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste

Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste is waste from any building works, demolition and development (including transport infrastructure).

Excavated soil and stone makes up about 85% of this waste, with the remainder including concrete, brick, tiles, glass, metal, plastic and wood.

C&D is the largest single waste stream in the EU making up around one third of all waste produced annually so it is critical that we manage it effectively.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Circular Economy Programme have case studies and factsheets published on how to manage and reduce waste during C&D projects which highlight both the financial and environmental benefits of reducing waste. They have also developed a repository of guidance and reports on waste prevention and best practice in the C&D sector.

In December 2020, the Regional Waste Management Offices published a report detailing the capacity of the waste sector in Ireland to manage the current volumes of C&D wastes along with projections on the amount of such waste likely to arise up to 2029.

Following measures set out in the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, the EPA published "Best Practice Guidelines for the preparation of resources & waste management plans for construction & demolition projects" in December 2021 which are a revision of the 2006 "Best Practice Guidelines on the Preparation of Waste Management Plans for Construction and Demolition Waste Projects".

Certain circumstances allow for a substance or object to be considered a by-product rather than a waste. The substance or object must be a production residue and must satisfy the following four conditions:

• further use of the substance or object is certain
• the substance or object can be used directly without any further processing other than normal industrial practice
• the substance or object is produced as an integral part of a production process
• further use is lawful in that the substance or object fulfils all relevant product, environmental and health protection requirements for the specific use and will not lead to overall adverse environmental or human health impacts

Material being considered as a by-product has clear economic value for operators as it can be treated as a resource rather than a waste. This has benefits for the circular economy by ensuring the productive life of resources is enhanced and extended but it requires an efficient, sustainable system to function effectively.

There are three levels at which by-product can be determined:

1. EU-level criteria – no by-product criteria have been set at the EU level to date.

2. National criteria which allow a producer of by-product material to register with the EPA. There are currently National criteria available for site-won asphalt with plans for greenfield soil and stone criteria to be made available in 2024.

3. Single-case notifications which are made to the EPA who assess them on a case-by-case basis before making a determination.

The EPA maintain a register of all by-product notifications and registrations made.

More information on by-products is available on the EPA website.

End-of-waste refers to the full recovery of a waste where it can be used as a valuable resource and ceases to be classified as a waste.

To achieve end-of-waste status, a material must satisfy all four of the following conditions:

• The substance or object is to be used for specific purposes
• A market or demand exists for such a substance or object
• The substance or object fulfils the technical requirements for the specific purposes and meets the existing legislation and standards applicable to products
• The use of the substance or object will not lead to overall adverse environmental or human health impacts

End-of-waste decisions can be made at three levels:

1. EU-level criteria, which apply across the European Union. So far only 3 end-of-waste criteria have been established at EU level:

• Iron, steel and aluminium scrap
• Glass cullet (recycled glass that has been crushed and is ready for re-melting)
• Copper scrap

EU-level criteria for plastics are currently under development. In addition, EU-level criteria for textiles are at the early stages of development.

2. National criteria, which apply to any producer of end-of-waste material that can demonstrate compliance with the criteria. The EPA have developed National criteria for recycled aggregates which are currently available for use in Ireland.

3. Single-case criteria, which apply only to the operator who made the application for end-of-waste status to the EPA for a decision.

The EPA are responsible for making decisions on end-of-waste applications in Ireland. End-of-waste decisions made to date are available to view on the EPA website and an End-of-waste Registerhas been set up to register activity under the national criteria.

Further information on the details of end-of-waste decisions granted to date can be found on the EPA website.