Construction and Demolition Waste: Germany, Sweden, France, And Slovakia

Abstract

Construction and demolition waste (CDW) is one of the largest contributors to the total waste volume in the EU, necessitating effective legislative measures for its proper management, processing, and recycling. This paper focuses on analysing the legislation and recycling approaches to CDW of four EU countries: Germany, Sweden, France, and Slovakia. The legal instruments for CDW recycling in these countries are compared to identify differences and similarities in their approaches. The results reveal that countries with stricter legislation and stronger infrastructure, such as Germany and Sweden, achieve higher recycling rates. In contrast, countries with less developed infrastructure, such as Slovakia, face greater challenges in meeting EU recycling goals. The paper underscores the importance of harmonising legislative frameworks and sharing best practices among EU member states for the effective management of CDW.