Brussels, 29 November 2024
The Belgian Construction Certification Association (BCCA), endorsed by EUCEB, has launched a new evaluation tool for deconstruction professionals to classify mineral wool waste. It will improve safe handling, increase recycling and help constructors save money for disposal.
A high percentage of solid wastes are produced by the demolition of buildings, but disposing waste on landfills is getting increasingly difficult and expensive. Some countries, e.g. Germany, have already banned to landfill certain mineral wool waste, and other countries will do so in the coming years. EU policies and customers demand to conserve resources and increase the sustainability of construction products. The new evaluation tool for mineral wool waste has been designed to help answering these calls.
How does the tool work?
The clear and quick evaluation is an extremely helpful element for construction companies and waste managers to decide how to handle the material after demolition. If they encounter mineral wool products during renovation or deconstruction activities, they can take (a) representative sample(s) and have them chemically analyzed by a competent laboratory. BCCA published a list of recommended labs who have proven to analyze mineral wool correctly on their website. The test results and other relevant information are entered online and transmitted to BCCA who will compare the chemical composition of the waste with a database. This database contains most of the EUCEB reference fibres, i.e. mineral wool fibres that have been tested for their non-biopersistence and are exonerated from being classified as hazardous. The users get an evaluation report informing if the chemical composition of their waste sample is in the chemical range of at least one EUCEB reference fibre. They can use this information for their risk assessment and decision of how to recycle or dispose of the waste correctly.
Where to find the tool?
You will find the tool and more detailed information of how to use it on BCCA´s website: https://www.bcca.be/en/certification/Mineral-Wool-Waste-Management
Important note
The tool is designed to help deconstruction professionals, but the use does not grant any intellectual property rights. In particular, the EUCEB trademark cannot be used under any circumstances.