26 manufacturers create a recycling channel for building waste to fight illegal dumping

Twenty-six construction material manufacturing companies announced on Friday the birth of an eco-organization, called Valobat, which will be responsible for developing the recycling of building waste to fight in particular against illegal dumping.

The birth of this collective eco-organization, a private non-profit structure, is imposed by the AGEC law (on the fight against waste and the circular economy) of February 2020, which makes it mandatory from January 1, 2022 a recycling channel for building construction products and materials.

Like Citeo, for example, which has encouraged the recycling of household packaging since 1992 with the food industry, packaging manufacturers, sorting centers and local communities in particular, Valobat aims to "empower" companies that produce and market. building materials.

The 26 founding companies and subsequent members will pay an eco-contribution which will finance the free recovery of waste collected separately, the collection and treatment of illegal building waste, the development of recycling channels and the strengthening of the territorial network of collection points. , indicates a joint statement Friday.

Valobat will have to manage 46 million tonnes of waste production per year, from plaster to insulation including pipes, wood or even metal and mineral wool-based products from coatings, cladding, metal frames, hardware-fittings, parquet floors, frames, glass walls, plaster and mortar, floor coverings or rigid plastics such as PVC.

Valobat will also manage "inert" mineral materials such as terracotta, raw earth, cement, stone, ceramics, slate, aggregates, concrete, for which another PWR recovery and recycling sector, specialized in the shell of the building, is also in the course of constitution.

The main advantage of this new sector, construction craftsmen will be able to benefit from a free return of their waste collected separately, which should avoid the problems of illegal dumping regularly denounced in the media.

In addition to Saint-Gobain and Placo Saint-Gobain, the founders of Valobat are Aliasis, BMI Monier, Elydrn, Etex, The metallic envelope of the building, Fayat, Forbo, Gerflor, Groupe Briand, Hansgrohe, Knauf, Knauf Insulation, Isover, Legrand , Nexans, Prysmian, Rockwool, Rexel, Schneider Electric, Siniat, Soprema, Tarkett, SNFA and UFME.

“They set themselves the challenge of locally industrializing recycling in order to intensify the circular economy loops and accommodate more tonnes,” their press release said.