General Discussion after the Lectures

Abstract

The session began with a statement by Hansen on EEC interest in recycling. Since the construction industry produces more waste than any other, the Waste Management Committee of EEC has recognized the necessity of including construction waste in overall planning of waste disposal. A working party on “Demolition, re-use and dismantling of concrete” under the chairmanship of Prof. Hansen has been set up to prepare proposals for joint community action and has reported to the EEC in February 1980. In the report, the forecasts of concrete waste arising in (8) member states of the EEC are stated to be 55.10⁶ ton in 1980, 68.10⁶ ton in 1990, 162.10⁶ ton in 2000 and as much as 302.10⁶ ton in 2020 (prediction of a private firm, Environmental Resources Ltd.) while some 500.10⁶ ton of sand and gravel are used as aggregate for road building and concrete production within the Community every year. With regard to the problem of the recycling of concrete, cooperation is recommended within the EC for the purpose of developing safer, more practical and less energy-intensive techniques for demolition of reinforced and prestressed concrete which at the same time meet modern standards for protection of the environment.