Separate collection and recycling of PVC flooring installation residue in Sweden - A system assessment

This report is a deliverable in work package six of the CONSTRUCTIVATE project. The scope of this deliverable is to create awareness of the existence of the collection and recycling system for plastic flooring in Sweden, to assess its climate impact and to identify opportunities and barriers to increase the collection and recycling rate of this material.

Summary

Recycling of construction and demolition (C&D) waste represents a major untapped potential in Sweden. There already exist a few separate collection systems for some of the C&D waste fractions, but they are only used to a limited extent. An example is the national system for separate collection and recycling of material residue from installation of plastic flooring.

Separate collection and recycling of residual material from PVC flooring installation is possible in Sweden since 1998. However, only around a fifth of all the residue material generated per year is collected though the existing national joint system while the rest is collected as combustible waste on construction/renovation sites and is sent to incineration with energy recovery.

The following opportunities and barriers for increased collection and recycling rates are discussed in the report:

• Lack of awareness

• No requirements from purchasers

• Engagement from all manufacturers and recycling solution for all the material.

• Standard practice within the industry.

• User-friendliness.

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