Circular Economy and CDW Management
Circular Economy is a development priority of the European Union, finding a central place in many initiatives from sectoral Directives and Action Plans to the European Green Deal and EU Programming. The transition to a more circular economy is an essential contribution to the EU’s efforts to develop a low-carbon and resource-efficient economy (1).
In this context, the introduction of evaluation and monitoring tools based on indicators becomes fundamental to promoting a circular economy by measuring and quantifying its progress, with specific reference to waste management (2). The systematisation of indicators and assessment tools for circular waste management can promote a common scientific and technical ground for different stakeholders along the path of sustainability.
The current situation describes - across EU countries and stakeholder categories - a very heterogeneous state-of-the-art of circular approaches and practices about the different life cycle stages of buildings and infrastructures. This points out the need to break down the technical and managerial barriers for the promotion of circular processes in the construction sector and the enhancement of environmental and economic benefits that can be generated by circular processes and by compliance with sustainability standards.
In particular, the CDW production data in Italy, collected from ISPRA in the annual reports, highlight the growing trends that are the bearer of challenges and opportunities for waste management (circular) processes.
These criticalities and potentials call for an effort of research and industry organizations towards the consolidation of common methodologies and automatized processes, enhancing the contribution of research experimentation, best practices, and stakeholders’ engagement.
In this perspective, the Italian Railway Group (Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane Group) has a strong commitment to research and innovation in sustainability and circular economy, being aware of its relevant role not only for the new scenarios of future mobility but also as a driver for sustainability along the building and infrastructure construction supply chain.
Italferr, the engineering consulting firm of the FS Group - which boasts 40 years of experience in large infrastructure projects for the railway sector, as well as metropolitan and road transportation in Italy and abroad - is the only player in the railway field of RECONMATIC’s international consortium. Italferr is thus carrying out the research activities focusing on the Italian CDW management field, as a bearer of technical knowledge and practices of the Italian context, and as a link with national and local Italian stakeholders.
The study presented hereafter is part of the broader research activities led by the University of Salford between 2022 and 2023, within the framework of the RECONMATIC project. A summary of the methodology and results of this study on the performance and current practices of sustainable and circular CDW management, focusing on the Italian context, is presented in the following sections.
Methodology
The evaluation of current practices and policies for CDW management in Italy is developed through an array of key performance indicators (KPIs). The results obtained define the country profile regarding the implementation of circular economy solutions which provides a reference of country performance. This provides a baseline for the identification of strengths, weaknesses, trends, and gaps for future development.
The list of KPIs has been identified through literature review, including, but not limited to, international and national policies, guidelines, best practices, and projects. From the review process, a total of 50 KPIs were identified and classified into six main performance categories namely: Governance; Managerial; Technological; Economic; Environmental; and Social; covering all aspects related to the performance of sustainable and circular CDW management.
To collect data for the calculation of KPIs, a review of current practices and regulatory frameworks of CDW management in Italy was conducted. While current practices have helped define the automation level of CDW management within the different lifecycle stages of a construction asset in the Italian context, the regulatory framework, consisting on national and European targets, policies, regulations, and standards for CDW management, has provided insights on the goals and targets of the CDW regulatory framework concerning the circular economy.
Further data, regarding the construction industry’s current practices and perceptions that cannot be obtained from the literature, were collected through questionnaires submitted to different stakeholder groups: clients/developers, designers, manufacturers/suppliers, contractors, and waste managers. According to their expertise, a different list of questions was selected for each stakeholder group, thus different questionnaires were created. The questionnaires were distributed through the networks of national institutions and hubs identified in the review process and carried out online using JISC surveys.
Hubs and institutions |
National Council of Engineers (CNI) Board of Engineers of Como Province Sustainable Infrastructure Association (AIS) Ferrovie dello Stato Italiano Group (FS Group) Geotechnical and Environmental Engineering Group S.r.l. Rete Sand |
At the end of the process, a total of 108 responses were received, counting on the involvement of all stakeholder groups.
Following the recommendations identified in the literature review, the calculation of KPIs is developed from a qualitative approach, avoiding a quantitative representation of results and facilitating the analysis of the wide range of indicators. 5 levels of evaluation were created to classify and represent the results for each KPI, establishing a common framework of metrics for all KPIs for later comparison. The higher level represents a qualitatively better value.
KPIs’ calculation method is different according to the type of information and data to manage; some indicators are based on qualitative data from the review by applying an objective evaluation of the aspects to consider for each indicator, while others are based on data categorization by the use of Likert scales and yes/no questions.
The results of KPIs’ calculations provide the country profile on automated solutions for sustainable and circular CDW management, as presented in the following section.
For further information on the structure and distribution of questionnaires, as well as KPIs’ classification and calculation method, please refer to Reconmatic, Technical Report, D1.1 – Evaluation of Current Practices and Policies in the EU and the UK of RECONMATIC project.
The Italian Case
The results of this study provide with an overview of Italy’s performance on circular economy in the construction sector based on the calculated KPIs.
Category | Sub-category | Code | Indicators | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Governance | Mission/Vision/ Values | GM1 | Strategies for circular economy in construction sector | 2 |
GM2 | Programmes and schemes for circular economy in construction sector | 3 | ||
GM3 | Public and industry organizations working towards circular economy in construction sector | 4 | ||
Corporate environmental responsibility | GC1 | Defining/Implementation of measurable waste recovery targets (% of targeted recovery) | 1 | |
GC2 | Implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility schemes in construction | 2 | ||
GC3 | Aspects of implementation of EPR scheme. (Refer to question 8 to view the aspects of EPR that are included in this indicator - the first 6 points) | 2 | ||
GC4 | Implementation of measures towards reduction of plastic packaging | 2 | ||
GC5 | Implementation of Green Public Procurement in construction | 2 | ||
GC6 | Defining/Implementation of measurable GPP targets | 5 | ||
Assessment and certification processes | GA1 | Use of circular economy assessment tools/ certification schemes | 2 | |
GA2 | Use of sustainable/green construction schemes (e.g., LEED, BREEAM) that include circular economy aspects | 1 | ||
Green finance businesses (taxonomy) | GG1 | Implementation of EU Taxonomy (or similar scheme) in the country | 2 | |
Managerial | CE management | MM1 | Implementation of site waste management plans on site | 4 |
MM2 | Implementation of waste audits | 2 | ||
MM3 | Monitoring of waste traceability | 4 | ||
MM4 | Implementation of best practices (Refer to question 14 to view the aspects of best practices that are included in this indicator) | 3 | ||
Technological | IT and digital systems | TT1 | Level of BIM implementation | 1 |
TT2 | Integration of circular economy/waste management in BIM | 1 | ||
TT3 | Implementation of digital tools for CE (Refer to question 16 to view the types of digital tools that are included in this indicator) | 2 | ||
Data management | TD1 | Availability of product environmental data (Refer to question 17 to view the types of product data that are included in this indicator) | 2 | |
TD2 | CDW data collection methods (project and national) | 3 | ||
TD3 | Digital reporting of CDW data | 4 | ||
Infrastructures | TI1 | Available recycling facilities for CDW (Refer to question 22 to view the types of waste for recycling that are included in this indicator) | 3 | |
TI2 | Available markets for reused and recycled construction products and materials | 2 | ||
TI3 | Available communication/collaboration platforms for the development/ implementation of CE value chains | 4 | ||
Economic | Circular business | EC1 | Use of secondary materials | 3 |
EC2 | Servitisation | 2 | ||
EC3 | Implementation of waste up-cycling | 3 | ||
Economic incentives | EI1 | Landfill tax | 4 | |
EI2 | Illegal dumping fines | - | ||
Environmental | CDW statistics | NS1 | CDW generation per capita | 3 |
NS2 | CDW generation per construction gross domestic product | 2 | ||
NS3 | Hazardous waste generation | 4 | ||
NS4 | CDW recovery rate · Reuse · Recycling · Backfilling | 4 | ||
NS5 | Incineration (waste-to-energy) | 4 | ||
NS6 | CDW landfilling rate | 3 | ||
NS7 | Illegal dumping percentage | - | ||
Circular Design | ND1 | Consideration of disassembly in design | 2 | |
ND2 | Consideration of maintenance and repair in design | 3 | ||
ND3 | Consideration of the use of durable materials in design | 3 | ||
ND4 | Consideration of non-hazardous materials in design | - | ||
ND5 | Consideration of the use of secondary materials in design | 3 | ||
ND6 | Consideration of modular (off-site) construction in design | 2 | ||
ND7 | Consideration of adaptable building design | 2 | ||
Social | Knowledge, skills and awareness | SK1 | Awareness of available recovery solutions for CDW | 3 |
SK2 | Knowledge and skills in effective/ innovative solutions and methods for CDW reuse and recycling | 3 | ||
Health and safety | SH1 | Training for waste handling | 4 | |
SH2 | Adequate waste transport measures | 5 | ||
SH3 | Adequate waste storage | 4 | ||
SH4 | Reduction measures of H&S risks onsite | 4 |
The governance related KPIs are on average at level 2. In particular, KPIs GC1 (Industry definition of measurable waste recovery targets) and GA2 (Use of sustainable/green construction schemes, e.g. LEED, BREEAM, that include circular economy aspects) highlight the importance of improving and defining measurable waste recovery targets and the need to use sustainable/green construction schemes (e.g. LEED, BREEAM) that include circular economy aspects. However, the study points out that Italian legislation has clearly defined national targets for Green Public Procurement.
Regarding the management category, the study shows that in Italy there is a good level of implementation of on-site waste management plans, monitoring of waste traceability, and implementation of best practices.
While the technological category shows that platforms for communication and management of digital waste management in Italy need to be developed or are being developed. Indeed, KPI TD3 "Digital reporting of CDW" and TI3 "Available communication/collaboration platforms for the development/implementation of CE value chains" reach level 4. The use of BIM has yet to be adopted by a large part of the construction stakeholders and, to this purpose, RECONMATIC will be very helpful for the implementation of BIM in the construction sector, by identifying the types of waste to be managed during the design stage.
Concerning the economic category, the study shows a good level of involvement of Italian companies in the circular economy of construction, which reuses secondary raw materials and contains resource consumption. Specifically, Italy achieves level 3 for EC1 (Use of secondary materials) and EC3 (Implementation of waste up-cycling), while the lowest score (level 2) relates to 'Servitisation'. In addition, Italy applies taxes, fines, and/or incentives to promote the reuse and recycling of waste and to avoid illegal dumping.
The analysis of the subcategories "CDW Statistics" and "Circular Design" provides a picture of the environmental category in Italy, showing a high level of hazardous waste generation but also a high level of CDW recovery, reuse, and recycling (level 4 and 3). This is boosted also by the regulatory framework, which requires the recovery of at least 70% by weight of construction and demolition waste in authorized treatment plants (Legislative Decree 116/2020). To date, Italy promotes sustainable and green solutions in design to enhance the circular economy of products and materials in construction, such as the use of durable materials (level 3) and secondary materials (level 3). New solutions, such as “modular construction (off-site) in design" and "adaptable building design" that reach level 2, must be improved.
Moreover, the social category takes into consideration two subcategories, such as "Knowledge, skills and awareness" and "Health and safety". The study shows that in the Italian construction sector, there is a good level (level 3) of awareness of issues related to the circular economy, including information on reuse, upcycling techniques, new products, and recovery alternatives. However, Italy's strength lies in knowledge and training on the safety aspects of construction sites and the application of health and safety measures. The subcategory "Health and safety" reaches level 5 for the KPI "Adequate waste transport measures".
Conclusion
The RECONMATIC study highlights some interesting aspects of the Italian national context on CDW management, providing insights into the challenges to be overcome. In particular, there is room for improvement in the technological category, which shows that platforms for communication and networking in Italy need to be developed for digital waste management. Moreover, although Italy shows good levels of CDW recovery, reuse, and recycling, the quantities of (hazardous) waste generation are important and should be targeted.
However, Italy shows good levels of performance regarding the economic, legislative, management, and social categories, in particular concerning awareness in circular economy aspects, knowledge and training on health and safety, and traceability and monitoring of waste management.
Despite the overall results, further studies could point out some differences between regions as well as between big firms and small and medium companies. In fact, the enabling factors of the circular process are often supported by economic and technical conditions that foster digitalization and collaboration among stakeholders.
In particular, the role of Italferr in the infrastructure design context as a leading firm in sustainability and digitalisation and a valuable member of the RECONMATIC consortium paves the way to further research and experimentation on these topics and the involvement of different stakeholders of the supply chain, aligning the national context to the European one.
Stay tuned to learn more about the next steps of the RECONMATIC project and the demonstrators, one of which will apply solutions developed by the project to an infrastucture use-case in the Italian railway.
The article is authored by Almona Tani, Chiara Ravagnan, Carlo Marcucci and Alessandra De Lucia from ITALFERR. The research results of the Italian team contributed to the scientific publication Designing for a Circular Economy in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction Industry: Insights from Italy and the deliverable D1.1 Evaluation of Current Practices and Policies in the EU and the UK