Construction materials, such as concrete or insulation, still capture half of all raw materials used and generate a third of overall waste every year in the EU. Reuse and high-quality recycling are unfortunately still far from being the norm.

Transitioning to a circular economy is crucial to ensure a competitive and decarbonised EU construction sector, no longer dependent on the unsustainable use of natural resources. Yet, existing EU policies targeting the sector have failed to get us there. In particular, the Waste Framework Directive is falling behind on delivering meaningful change in the construction sector, with outdated provisions acting as a barrier to further progress.

EuRIC, the European Recycling Industries’ Confederation, alongisde the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance,  the Environmental Coalition on Standards (ECOS), the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) and Environmental Action Germany (Deutsche Umwelthilfe), have co-signed a letter, calling for urgent actions in the upcoming Circular Economy Act to increase circularity in the construction sector.