EDA takes part in EU work on new rules for recyclable C&D materials

The European Demolition Association is actively contributing to the European Commission’s work on new “End-of-Waste” criteria for mineral construction and demolition waste. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) is leading this process, which aims to clarify when recycled materials can be safely used again.

A new stakeholder meeting took place on 27 November to discuss possible limits for contaminants in recycled aggregates, and anyone wishing to share comments can do so until 12 January 2026.

The JRC plans to present its final proposal in March 2026, and the European legislation based on this work is expected in 2027.

Among the points being considered are: simplifying the number of values that need to be measured; defining when materials can be used with or without a covering layer, and ensuring future standards clearly explain what producers must declare.

The list of substances to be checked is also being updated, with some values becoming mandatory and others still under review. For total content, only three groups of substances would remain mandatory to measure: PAHs, PCBs, and KWand mineral oil residues and the proposed checks focus mainly on metals such as arsenic, lead, copper, and zinc, along with salts like chloride and sulphate. Also, the JRC is considering whether to add substances such as barium, molybdenum, antimony and selenium.

If you want to learn more about this matter, read the EU Construction and Demolition Waste Management Protocol and the EDA Guide about Recyclable C&D materials – Mineral Fraction.