Available online: https://pub.norden.org/temanord2023-544/ This publication addresses the challenges in managing Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) in the Nordic countries including an outlook on other European countries. Despite a 70% recovery target, the Nordics lag behind due to economic, legislative, and social barriers. The study emphasizes the need for better CDW statistics and highlights successful European initiatives. Key findings include that the barriers do not seem to be technical feasibility, but rather include economic obstacles, and regional variations in recycling. Recommendations include unified approaches, regulations, and stronger incentives for reuse and recycling of CDW. The study advocates waste prevention through reuse and design strategies for future constructions, emphasizing collaboration within the Nordics and the EU.

A pre-demolition audit is a tool that can be used to both identify hazardous substances and assess the materials to be removed from the building or infrastructure, and consequently their potential value, prior to the demolition or renovation activity can be established. Audits are essential since they enable all stakeholders involved to get information on the composition of waste and make it easier to find markets for different waste types. It is likely that the European Commission will recommend all Member States to make this pre-demolition audit mandatory to increase high quality recycling of construction and demolition waste. The report presents the current pre-demolition audit systems and existing guidelines in Denmark, Finland and Sweden. The report gives recommendations on key elements to be included in audits for improving the quality of the construction and demolition waste.

At an important time in Nordic Waste Policy, as the 2018 Circular Economy Package makes significant updates to key European Union directives, this work looks back at the Nordic regulatory framework for waste from the 1970s and its effect upon waste prevention and recycling.At an important time in Nordic Waste Policy, as the 2018 Circular Economy Package makes significant updates to key European Union directives, this work looks back at the Nordic regulatory framework for waste from the 1970s and its effect upon waste prevention and recycling.

The aim of the project was to map PVC waste streams in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. The available estimates are made occasionally, mostly within the frames of different projects and are not based on any formalized official reporting system or other rigorous accounting scheme. Overall, a large part of PVC waste ends up in mixed waste fractions and is eventually treated in waste-to-energy plants. Landfilling of PVC waste is banned in two countries, but some exceptions exist. Norway is the only country that treats some PVC waste as hazardous waste. The current waste treatment situation in the four Nordic countries is driven by several factors, such as diverse origins of PVC products, some specifics of the Nordic market, rather low focus on PVC waste in policy strategies or plans, technical issues regarding incineration of PVC waste, and the lack of domestic recycling.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/temanord2021-508/ The national strategies for a circular economy set the overall targets for implementation of circular economy in the country. Putting theory into practice via local strategies can be a good means for the transition towards a circular economy in the construction sector. Municipalities can set demands for CE solutions by requiring, e.g. the use of recycled and/or recyclable construction materials, the application of design for disassembly principles in construction and requiring resource mapping, and reuse and recycling in the demolition phase. The study identifies and presents cases and experiences from the implementation of CE concepts at the local level in the Nordic communities with a focus on construction, renovation and demolition. Barriers and drivers for the uptake of CE solutions are analysed, and enabling factors that could support the implementation of circular economy concepts and identified barriers in norms, legislation and guidelines are described. As part of the project, the project group gave 10 policy recommendations.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/nord2023-031/ Nordic Network for circular construction. Report from work package 2 about barriers and possibilites within circular construction, A state of the art report from the five Nordic countries, The situation in the countries during 2018-2022.

The Nordic countries rank high in international reports of nations' progress towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Along with other industrialised countries, however, the Nordic countries have been ranked poorly in their progress towards SDG 12, which concerns Sustainable Consumption and Production. This report looks closer at the Nordic countries' main challenges in achieving SDG12 and sets out recommendations for Nordic collaboration to tackle these.

A circular economy is an alternative to a traditional linear economy (make, use, dispose) in which we keep resources in use for as long as possible, extract the maximum value from them whilst in use, then recover and regenerate products and materials at the end of each service life. Circular economy (CE) is important towards sustainable development, resources circulation and conservation, involving closing of material loops and cascading used resources, to prevent waste occurrence, and transforming the resulting residual streams into new (secondary) resources. Strategies and legislative framework for waste management are important steps for development of a more CE where resource efficiency becomes the key driver for both economic growth and environmental protections. A few countries achieved good results implementing CE as a replacement of the linear economy. Resource managers and planners should thoroughly identify factors to implement CE for societal benefits. This book presents how resource consumption is minimized with rational use based on 3Rs, legislative framework and government supports towards implementing CE initiatives, example of best practices, future plans and targets in different countries those are helpful for researchers, planners and implementers.

From long-standing worries regarding the use of lead and asbestos to recent research into carcinogenic issues related to the use of plastics in construction, there is growing concern regarding the potential toxic effects of building materials on health. Toxicity of building materials provides an essential guide to this important problem and its solutions.Beginning with an overview of the material types and potential health hazards presented by building materials, the book goes on to consider key plastic materials. Materials responsible for formaldehyde and volatile organic compound emissions, as well as semi-volatile organic compounds, are then explored in depth, before a review of wood preservatives and mineral fibre-based building materials. Issues related to the use of radioactive materials and materials that release toxic fumes during burning are the focus of subsequent chapters, followed by discussion of the range of heavy metals, materials prone to mould growth, and antimicrobials. Finally, Toxicity of building materials concludes by considering the potential hazards posed by waste based/recycled building materials, and the toxicity of nanoparticles.With its distinguished editors and international team of expert contributors, Toxicity of building materials is an invaluable tool for all civil engineers, materials researchers, scientists and educators working in the field of building materials. - Provides an essential guide to the potential toxic effects of building materials on health - Comprehensively examines materials responsible for formaldehyde and volatile organic compound emissions, as well as semi-volatile organic compounds - Later chapters focus on issues surrounding the use of radioactive materials and materials that release toxic fumes during burning

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/temanord2022-539/ The environmental impacts of several scenarios for wood waste’s treatment were studied via life cycle assessment (LCA). The scenarios were modelled via both attributional and consequential approaches to LCA. The ALCA results indicate that producing insulation from wood waste appears to be a good alternative to incineration, whereas incineration outperforms the production of all the other recycled products studied (particle board, composite, bioethanol, biochar, and textile fibre). When the substituting products and marginal energy are considered in the CLCA, other recycled products too seem to show good environmental performance relative to incineration. Textile fibre from wood waste is a solid alternative to producing viscose and cotton, and if marginal energy with even smaller environmental impacts than biomass were used, other products could well become compelling alternatives.