Recycled aggregate in civil works and building construction

Abstract

The sustainable development policies presently in place, along with the Paris Agreement on climate change, are clear indications that economic growth must be made environmentally sustainable to ensure the transition from a linear to a circular economy. Given the large volumes of construction and demolition waste (C&DW) generated, which account for 30-35 % of the total in the European Union, this type of waste has come under particular scrutiny in today’s socio-economic context. This paper provides an overview of the types of recycled aggregate obtained in waste management plants sited in the Spanish region of Extremadura. The end products were characterized chemically, physically and mechanically to determine their compliance with the existing legal requirements on materials used in civil and building construction. The findings will serve as grounds for raising public awareness of the quality of these new aggregates, their potential use in construction and their contribution to sustainable development.