Public authorities have focused on the reuse of excavation material. Why, at the same time, do they create regulations that prevent sales?
Several manufacturers have established facilities that recycle masses, and are preparing these for new life in projects. In addition, there are reception of excavation masses and other recycling masses around all major cities in Norway.
But all players are struggling to increase sales due to the premises in today’s tender. Regulation prevents recycled materials from being used.
Illogical requirement for reuse of excavators
Our impression is that requirements in tenders often trace back to the Handbook N-200 for road construction. In particular, the description here is that the masses used in road construction must come from known documented resources. They need to know where the masses are coming from.
In other words, it is the claim of origin that limits the use of the mass, not technical requirements.
The whole point of a recycling plant for surplus pulp from the construction industry is to take masses from a variety of sources, refine it, and create a new product. When the material is mixed around another in this way, it becomes almost impossible to document where it comes from.
Realistically, we are faced with a choice: invest in recycling or change the requirements.
Ensuring quality of recycled masses?
Even if the mass is well mixed, it can be easily tested for mechanical strength. Then consistent quality can be documented with frequent test intervals. As long as the desired technical specifications are achieved, this should be good enough.
Claims of known provenance prevent the use of recycled pulp, even if it is of the same quality.
Peder Egeland, CEO of Nordic Bulk
Of course, we should not accept low-quality masses, and build roads that crumble within a short time, but that has little to do with the origin of the mass. If the requirement is to continue, exceptions should be made for recycled materials.
The fact that the pulp comes from many different sources is completely harmless, as long as high quality can be documented.
It’s time to rethink the known provenance requirement in N200. Only then can we seriously use one of the industry’s most untapped resources.
Thanks to pioneers such as Velde Pukk , the Minister of Transport now knows that the state should set requirements for quality, not how products are made.
Does everything need equal requirements?
Obviously, we must have strict requirements where necessary; as in the top deck of high-traffic roads, critical concrete structures, etc. But a large proportion of the masses we use go to other purposes, where we could accept lower values. Values that allow us to reuse excavators.
Read more:
How big is the potential for recycling in the construction industry?
For maximum utilization, a gradation of masses should be made, with different requirements for different areas of use. If you are going to pave a pavement, the mass does not need the same mechanical strength as on the road.
There are many applications for building raw materials, so there should also be many grades on quality. It will be easier for suppliers to choose tenders, and chewer decisions for those who buy.
The key to the success of recycled materials is quality requirements, as well as a well-developed gradation for quality requirements for various applications. Only then can we make maximum use of the potential of recycled masses.
Unfortunately, most of the resources in the mining industry are not renewable, but a larger proportion of them can be. When society is changing rapidly, regulation must change at the same pace. It is absolutely necessary to meet the needs of the future.
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