HEDEHUSENE, Denmark, May 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Construction and
demolition waste accounts for 30 percent of total waste produced globally, with
an estimated average of more than 35 percent of it ending in landfills
annually(1) (https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15010076), indicating an urgent need to
tackle this challenge.
With Rockcycle, ROCKWOOL takes back stone wool material from construction,
renovation and demolition sites and recycles it in the production process to
make new ROCKWOOL products. ROCKWOOL aims to offer Rockcycle in a minimum of 30
countries by 2030. By adding India, China and Slovenia, Rockcycle is now
available in Europe, North America and Asia.
"The construction industry has a waste problem. Valuable materials are too often
uncollected and misdirected to general waste, which ends up in landfill.
Fortunately, an inherent trait of stone wool is that it can be recycled
endlessly and still maintain its mechanical and performance properties. As a
circularity frontrunner in the construction industry, we are constantly pushing
the boundaries of making our products, operations and business model more
circular," says Mirella Vitale, Senior Vice President, ROCKWOOL Group.
Pushing for a circular economy
ROCKWOOL experiences an increasing demand from architects, specifiers,
engineering and construction companies, public authorities and policymakers for
ways to reduce construction and demolition waste. However, legislation is
lacking.
For example, steps should be taken to increase the cost of landfill to
incentivise recycling and other cycling pathways, while discouraging the use of
non-recyclable products. Even more effective would be implementing a total ban
on landfilling recyclable materials. Among other things, this would promote
deconstruction over demolition and thus better sorting of different waste
streams. Legislators should establish harmonised definitions for e.g. recycled
content and by-products and introduce harmonised criteria for recyclability at
scale to increase the use of material that can be recycled over and over again.
"EU legislation should set requirements and provide incentives to use durable
and recyclable materials to renovate existing and construct new buildings, and
to increase landfill costs so recyclable materials can continue adding value in
a circular economy while reducing waste," says Mirella Vitale.
To read more about Rockcycle go to Rockcycle(®) (rockwool.com)
(https://www.rockwool.com/group/about-us/sustainability/environment/rockcycle/).
Contact:
Helge Frandsen,
Phone +45 22949824
helge.frandsen@rockwool.com (mailto:helge.frandsen@rockwool.com)
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d2e6c29d-61d1-4694-a628-
fe3eb46618c1
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(1) https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15010076
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