1. EU Policies and Demolition
Gunther Wolff
Environment Directorate-General, European Commission

2. EU Policies: An overview
Policies stemming from different areas of legislation can have an impact on a sector
Construction and Demolition is concerned by policies from different DGs
EMPL
ENV
Others
Problem: difficulty to have an overview of relevant policies at EU level (plus national/regional/local level)
This presentation shall explain the main policies
Neues Umweltziel:
Integration des Lebenszyklusgedankens in die Abfallpolitik und Förderung der Kosteneffizienz

3. Intro: Sources of EU Law
EU Law is not that complicated… or is it?
Sources of EU Law:
Treaty
International agreements (ILO- WHO – IMO – etc)
Secondary EU legislation:
Directives
Regulations
Recommendations
Resolutions
Decisions
Case-law – Court of Justice
Neues Umweltziel:
Integration des Lebenszyklusgedankens in die Abfallpolitik und Förderung der Kosteneffizienz

4. Sustainable Construction Policies
Construction activities underpin most other activities in society: economic, social, environmental, safety & health (infrastructure, buildings, plants, hospitals, schools..)
Construction sector can significantly contribute to sustainability
Applying the sustainability principle to Construction:
Economic aspects:
provide the benefits of the construction projects at affordable cost
Environmental aspects:
Use less energy during construction and use
Use less raw materials
Cause less pollution and less waste
Social aspects:
Provide safe workplaces with good social conditions
Neues Umweltziel:
Integration des Lebenszyklusgedankens in die Abfallpolitik und Förderung der Kosteneffizienz

5. EMPL: Health and Safety
Framework Directive 89/391/EEC
Objective: To encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work
Scope: All sectors of activity, both public and private with very few exceptions : certain activities within the armed forces or the police or the civil protection
General Provision: The employer must ensure the safety and health of workers in every aspect related to the work
Neues Umweltziel:
Integration des Lebenszyklusgedankens in die Abfallpolitik und Förderung der Kosteneffizienz

6. EMPL: Health and Safety
Framework Directive 89/391/EEC
The worker, on the other hand, also has several obligations too, inter alia, follow employers' health and safety instructions or to report potential dangers.
The Framework Directive also promotes the workers' right to make proposals relating to health and safety, to appeal to the competent authority and to halt work in the event of serious danger, as part of the participative approach laid down by the Directive.
“The underlying goal is to protect the health and safety of workers and ensure that at the end of his/her working day, the worker will return to his/her family in good health”.
Neues Umweltziel:
Integration des Lebenszyklusgedankens in die Abfallpolitik und Förderung der Kosteneffizienz

7. Framework Directive 89/391/EEC
Individual directives are derived from the framework directive to encourage improvements on safety and health at work
- Chemical Agents
- Carcinogens
- Biological Agents
- Asbestos
- Workplace
- Use of Work Equipment
Use of Personal Protective Equipment
Construction sites.
Physical agents:
Vibrations
Noise
EMF
Optical Radiation
- On Board Vessels
- Maritime Medical Assistance
Manual Handling of Loads
- Safety Signs
- Extractive Industries
On basis of Article 137
of the EC Treaty
Framework Directive 89/391/EEC

8. EMPL: Health and Safety
Council Directive 92/57/EEC sets minimum safety and health requirements at temporary or mobile construction site. It highlights the coordination required by the various parties before and during construction:
clients/project supervisors have to appoint one or more safety and health coordinators
clients/project supervisors have to ensure that a safety and health plan is prepared before the construction phase starts
clients/project supervisors have to take safety and health into account when designing the project
during the construction phase coordinators have to ensure that risks are adequately managed and that the health and safety plan is taken into account
cooperation between employers in matters of safety and health has to be implemented and procedures monitored.
Neues Umweltziel:
Integration des Lebenszyklusgedankens in die Abfallpolitik und Förderung der Kosteneffizienz

9. Construction and Demolition Wastes
Construction and Demolition Wastes: Over 500 M t/a in the EU
Approx. 55% of CDW are recycled
Diverging recycling rates in the EU:
D, B, NL, DK > 80%
E, P, GR < 20%
Conclusions:
Valuable ressources, recycling rates can be increased
Hazardous substances have to be separated
Selective Deconstruction is crucial

10. ENV: Waste Policies Principles:
The new Waste Framework Directive (WFD)
Published: Nov 2008, entered into force: Dec 2008
Deadline for MS transposition 12 December 2010
Principles:
Minimise the negative environmental impacts
Waste prevention
From cradle to cradle
Waste as a valuable resource
Waste hierarchy

11. Waste Hierarchy PREVENTION PREPARING FOR REUSE RECYCLING (COMPOSTING)
OTHER RECOVERY (ENERGY RECOVERY)
DISPOSAL

12. WFD – practical implications for Construction and Demolition Wastes
Prevention of Negative effects on human health and environment
Hazardous Wastes
Cannot be mixed
Separation required
Treatment/Disposal in authorised facilities
Examples:
Asbestos
ODS foams
Special case: gypsum
Recycling target:
by 2020, the preparing for re-use, recycling and other material recovery,
including backfilling operations using waste to substitute other materials, of non-hazardous construction and demolition waste
excluding naturally occurring material defined in category in the list of waste
shall be increased to a minimum of 70 % by weight.

13. More infos? EU Construction Information Portal:

14. Thank you for your attention
European Commission – DG ENV.C2
Sustainable Consumption and Production
Beaulieulaan 5
B Brussel
Thank you for your attention