Abstract
This paper reviews materials recycling in construction on the basis of the proceedings of the WASCON conferences that were organized every three years since 1991. To do so, (1) Environmental aspects; (2) Technical aspects of development and application of products; (3) Development of tools; and (4) Developments on industrial scale, are addressed. It is shown that the WASCON conferences and their proceedings allowed and encouraged worldwide exchange of information. Much attention was devoted at the consecutive conferences to assessment of the environmental impact of recycling in construction, mainly due to leaching. Two types of waste with a high annual production rate that received much attention at WASCON, construction and demolition waste, and municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash, are discussed in depth. It is shown that for recycling in construction of both types of waste significant progress was made. It appears from this paper that in the period considered (1991–2012) construction with alternative materials made much progress, that a lot of R&D, leading to technical development was carried out, and that also several developments at industrial scale were reported. Moreover, recycling is moving more and more from downcycling to high value use, to ‘cradle to cradle’.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Heynen, J.J.M., Comans, R.N.J., Honders, A., Frapporti, G., Keijzer, J., Zevenbergen, C.: Development of fast testing procedures for determining the leachability of soils contaminated by heavy metals. In: Senden, G.J., van der Sloot, H.A., Goumans, J.J.J.M. (eds.) WASCON 1997 proceedings, Stud. Environ. Sci. 70. Elsevier (1997)
Honders, A., Gadella, M., De Wilde, P., Zevenbergen, C.: Leaching of heavy metals from soils—an analysis. In: Woolley, G.R., Goumans, J.J.J.M., Wainwright, P.J. (eds.) WASCON 2000 proceedings (2000)
Van der Sloot, H.A., Heasman, L., Quevauviller, P.: Harmonization of leaching/extraction tests. In: Senden, G.J., van der Sloot, H.A., Goumans, J.J.J.M. (eds.) WASCON 1997 proceedings, Stud. Environ. Sci. 70. Elsevier (1997)
Dijkstra, J. J., Meeussen, J. C. L., van der Sloot, H. A., Comans R. N. J.: Modelling speciation and transport in MSWI bottom ash. In de Urbina, G.O., Goumans, J.J.J.M., Heynen, J.J.M. (eds.) WASCON 2003 proceedings (2003)
Schreurs, J.P.G.M.: Leaching course for engineers. In: de Urbina, G.O., Goumans, J.J.J.M., Heynen, J.J.M. (eds.) WASCON 2003 proceedings (2003)
Schreurs, J.P.G.M.: Leaching, Environmental impact of building materials. In: de Urbina, G.O., Goumans, J.J.J.M., Heynen, J.J.M. (eds.) WASCON 2003 proceedings (2003)
Van der Sloot, H.A., Kosson, D.S., Hjelmar, O.: Leaching eXpert System, A new environmental impact assessment tool. In: Ilic, M., Goumans, J.J.J.M., Miletic, M., Heynen, J.J.M., Senden, G.J. (eds.) WASCON 2006 proceedings (2006)
Nebel, H., Spanka, G.: Harmonization of test methods for the execution of the European Construction Products Directive (CPD). Validation of a European leaching test for construction products. In: Arm, M., Vandecasteele, C., Heynen, J.J.M., Suer, P., Lind, B. (eds.) WASCON 2012 proceedings (2012)
Hendriks, C. F.: Certification system for aggregates produced from building waste and demolished buildings. In: Goumans, J.J.J.M., van der Sloot, H.A., Aalbers, T.G. (eds.) WASCON 1994 proceedings, Stud. Environ. Sci. 60. Elsevier (1994)
Mulder, E., Blaakmeer, J., van Dijk, K., Nijl, T.G.: Closed material cycles for concrete and masonry, as part of an integrated process for the reuse of the total flow of C&D waste. In: de Urbina, G.O., Goumans, J.J.J.M., Heynen, J.J.M. (eds.) WASCON 2003 proceedings (2003)
Mroueh, M., Laine-Ylijoki, J., Wahlström, M.: Development of a standardized quality control system for reclaimed concrete. In: de Urbina, G.O., Goumans, J.J.J.M., Heynen, J.J.M. (eds.) WASCON 2003 proceedings (2003)
Wainwright, P., Cresswell, D.: Longer term properties of concrete containing synthetic aggregate made from waste materials. In: de Urbina, G.O., Goumans, J.J.J.M., Heynen, J.J.M. (eds.) WASCON 2003 proceedings (2003)
Gomez-Soberon, J.M.V.: Deferred behavioral verification of concrete with aggregate from recycled concrete. In: de Urbina, G.O., Goumans, J.J.J.M., Heynen, J.J.M. (eds.) WASCON 2003 proceedings (2003)
Belin, P, Habert, G, Thiéry, M., Roussel, N.: Improvement of recycled concrete aggregates properties by carbonation. In: Arm, M., Vandecasteele, C., Heynen, J.J.M., Suer, P., Lind, B. (eds.) WASCON 2012 proceedings (2012)
Thiéry, M, Dangla, P, Belin, P, Habert, G., Roussel, N.: Carbonation kinetics of a bed of recycled concrete aggregates. In: Arm, M., Vandecasteele, C., Heynen, J.J.M., Suer, P., Lind, B. (eds.) WASCON 2012 proceedings (2012)
Nielsen, P, Vrijders, J, Broos, K., Quaghebeur, M.: Carbonation kinetics of a bed of recycled concrete aggregates. In: Arm, M., Vandecasteele, C., Heynen, J.J.M., Suer, P., Lind, B. (eds.) WASCON 2012 proceedings (2012)
CEWEP, Environmentally sound use of bottom ash, www.cewep.eu
Polettini, A., Pomi, R.: The influence of accelerated ageing on leaching behaviour of incinerator bottom ash. In: de Urbina, G.O., Goumans, J.J.J.M., Heynen, J.J.M. (eds.) WASCON 2003 proceedings (2003)
Flyhammar, P., Bendz, D., Hartlén, J., Grönholm, R.: The development of environmental properties during storage of MSWI bottom ash. In: de Urbina, G.O., Goumans, J.J.J.M., Heynen, J.J.M. (eds.) WASCON 2003 proceedings (2003)
Vandecasteele, C., Wauters, G., Arickx, S., Jaspers, M., Van Gerven, T.: Integrated municipal solid waste treatment using a grate furnace incinerator. The Indaver case. Waste Manage. 27, 1366–1375 (2007)
Astrup, T.: Treatment and utilisation of MSWI bottom ashes in Denmark. In: Ilic, M., Goumans, J.J.J.M., Miletic, M., Heynen, J.J.M., Senden, G.J. (eds.) WASCON 2006 proceedings (2006)
Arickx, S., Knaepkens, T., Van Gerven, T., Vandecasteele, C.: Influence of treatment techniques on different organic fractions in MSWI bottom ash leachate. In: Ilic, M., Goumans, J.J.J.M., Miletic, M., Heynen, J.J.M., Senden, G.J. (eds.) WASCON 2006 proceedings (2006)
Arickx, S., Van Gerven, T., Knaepkens, T., Vandecasteele, C.: Influence of treatment techniques on Cu leaching and different organic fractions in MSWI bottom ash leachate. Waste Manage. 27, 1422–1427 (2007)
Van Gerven, T., Chen, X., Evens, R., Hindrix, K., Vandecasteele, C.: Upgrading MSWI-bottom ash by extraction, heating or dense medium separation, in view of recycling. In: Ilic, M., Goumans, J.J.J.M., Miletic, M., Heynen, J.J.M., Senden, G.J. (eds.) WASCON 2006 proceedings (2006)
Hjelmar, O., Holm, J.: Incinerator bottom ash as sub-base in road construction. In: Ilic, M., Goumans, J.J.J.M., Miletic, M., Heynen, J.J.M., Senden, G.J. (eds.) WASCON 2006 proceedings (2006)
Carpenter, A.C., Gardner, K., Fopiano, J., Benson, C. H., Edil, T.B.: Life cycle based risk assessment of recycled materials in roadway construction. In: Ilic, M., Goumans, J.J.J.M., Miletic, M., Heynen, J.J.M., Senden, G.J. (eds.) WASCON 2006 proceedings (2006)
Carpenter, A.C., Gardner, K., Fopiano, J., Benson, C.H., Edil, T.B.: Life cycle based risk assessment of recycled materials in roadway construction. Waste Manage. 27, 1458–1464 (2007)
Sakanakura, H., Osako, A., M.: Evaluation of secondary materials used for road base by combination of accelerating exposure test and tank leach test. In: Ilic, M., Goumans, J.J.J.M., Miletic, M., Heynen, J.J.M., Senden, G.J. (eds.) WASCON 2006 proceedings (2006)
Zhang, H, He, P, Shao, L.: Production and beneficial reuse of MSWI bottom ash in China. In: Méhu, J., Goumans, J.J.J.M., Heynen, J.J.M. (eds.) WASCON 2009 proceedings (2009)
Nielsen, P., Quaghebeur, M., Laenen, B., Kumps, R., Van Bommel, P.: The use of MSWI-bottom ash as aggregate in concrete—limitations and possible solutions. In: Méhu, J., Goumans, J.J.J.M., Heynen, J.J.M. (eds.) WASCON 2009 proceedings (2009)
Onori, R., Polettini, A., Pomi, R.: Mechanical properties and leaching modelling of activated incinerator bottom ash in Portland cement blends. Waste Manage. 31, 298–310 (2011)
Shih, P., Chiang, L., Chang, Y.: Influence of sulfate on reusing MSWI ash in eco-cement production. In: Méhu, J., Goumans, J.J.J.M., Heynen, J.J.M. (eds.) WASCON 2009 proceedings (2009)
Cioffi, R., Colangelo, F., Santoro, L.: Manufacture of artificial aggregate using MSWI bottom ash. In: Méhu, J., Goumans, J.J.J.M., Heynen, J.J.M. (eds.) WASCON 2009 proceedings (2009)
Cioffi, R., Colangelo, F., Montagnaro, F., Santoro, L.: Manufacture of artificial aggregate using MSWI bottom ash. Waste Manage. 31, 281–288 (2011)
Steketee, J.: Quality improvement of MSWI bottom ash: possibilities of input management. In: Méhu, J., Goumans, J.J.J.M., Heynen, J.J.M. (eds.) WASCON 2009 proceedings (2009)
De Vries, W, Rem, P., de Keizer, M.: Value creation out of municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) bottom ash. In: Arm, M., Vandecasteele, C., Heynen, J.J.M., Suer, P., Lind, B. (eds.) WASCON 2012 proceedings (2012)
Van der Wegen, G., Hofstra, U., Speerstra, J.: Upgraded municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) bottom ash as aggregate in concrete. In: Arm, M., Vandecasteele, C., Heynen, J.J.M., Suer, P., Lind, B. (eds.) WASCON 2012 proceedings (2012)
Onori, R., Polettini, A., Pomi, R.: An investigation of RDF bottom ash activation for blended cement formulation. In: Arm, M., Vandecasteele, C., Heynen, J.J.M., Suer, P., Lind, B. (eds.) WASCON 2012 proceedings (2012)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Vandecasteele, C., Heynen, J. & Goumans, H. Materials Recycling in Construction: A Review of the Last 2 Decades Illustrated by the WASCON Conferences. Waste Biomass Valor 4, 695–701 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-013-9239-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-013-9239-6