LIFE

LIFE ENVIRONMENT |
LIFE and the circular economy
A transferable value chain?
As part of the LIFE project, Eurogypsum assessed
the potential for transferring the gypsum
value chain, interviewing industry associations
representing those in the value chain of a range
of other materials used in construction, included
insulation, metals, glass, wood panels, recycled
PVC and expanded polystyrene. The analysis
concluded that, since many of the operators and
issues are the same, there is potential to apply
the same approach to increase recycling of
other materials found in CDW.
As a demonstration of the European added
value of the project, GtoG held its final conference
at the European Parliament in November
2015. This included presentations by a number
of stakeholders on the development of a circular
economy culture in Europe.
eight steps necessary to make gypsum recycling
business as usual:
• National authorities push for deconstruction and
recycling of plasterboard waste;
• Construction waste is collected separately;
• National and European statistics are improved;
• Municipalities enhance the collection of plasterboard
waste;
• Logistics are optimised:
• The operators of the recycling value chain cooperate;
• There is no illegal shipment of waste to other
countries; and
• Plasterboard waste is landfilled in mono-cells.
Cooperation between gypsum manufacturers and
recyclers is key for a sustainable gypsum recycling
value chain. Such a value chain already operates
on a commercial basis in the UK, France, Belgium,
the Netherlands and Scandinavia. “In Germany, it’s
not yet in place, but it’s starting,” notes Ms Marlet.
“The GtoG project showed that it was technically
feasible to reincorporate 30% of recycled gypsum
in plasterboard for a short period of time,” she
says. Now the project partners wish to industrialise
current processes so as to reach a 30% gypsum reincorporation
rate as business as usual in production
by 2020 in those countries where a commercial
value chain is already established. In Germany,
the goal is to achieve 30% by 2025. The industry
will also promote recycling and strive to establish
the value chain in Spain and Italy, Poland and eastern
countries from 2025 onwards.
The Roadmap includes three suggestions of how
to enhance the transferability of the gypsum recycling
value chain to countries where it has yet to
be implemented: enhance a deconstruction mentality
across Europe; establish voluntary gypsum
recycling targets; and enhance the recyclability of
plasterboard waste.
“The main achievement of the project was a change
of mentality - for everybody - for the demolishers,
for the recyclers and for manufacturers,” says Ms
Marlet. “Now it’s the willingness to go forward and
implement the value chain in other countries. This
will not happen if there is not a favourable context,
a push,” she concludes.
Project number: LIFE11 ENV/BE/001039
Title: GtoG - GtoG: From Production to Recycling, a Circular
Economy for the European Gypsum Industry with the
Demolition and Recycling Industry
Beneficiary: Eurogypsum
Contact: Christine Marlet
Email: info@eurogypsum.org
Website: www.eurogypsum.org/sustainable-construction/
gtog-life-project/
Period: 01-Jan-2013 to 01-Jan-2016
Total budget: €3 566 000
LIFE contribution: €1 783 000
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