Although there are already many products in the construction industry that make use of recycled materials, market penetration has been relatively slow. A core problem is that many products with recycled content lack the necessary “certification” which is required if they are to be used for construction purposes.
Amanda Conroy from the Building Research Establishment's Centre for Resource Management said: “It seems that there are many recycled plastic building products which are not used because they do not have the necessary certification saying that they meet the necessary regulations for building.”
Funded by the Waste and Resources Action Programme, the project aims to put 20 recycled building products through the certification process so they can be promoted as fit for purpose.
The new initiative will also look at expanding the recycled product markets by raising awareness of the fitness for purpose of the materials within the industry. This will take place through exhibitions, seminars and other publicity, with housing and local authorities singled out as key areas for the uptake of recycled construction products.
Manufacturers of recycled construction products interested in
putting forward their product for consideration should email
Amanda Conroy at conroya@bre.co.uk or WRAP's Ray Georgeson at ray.georgeson@wrap.org.uk .
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