More than 200 million tons of waste produced each year.
This dizzying figure makes construction the most polluting sector of activity in France.
In an attempt to reduce the environmental impact of such a quantity of waste, the sector is organizing itself by promoting recycling and, for several years, the reuse of construction materials.
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In the law on energy transition for green growth of August 18, 2015, France took up the European Commission's objective: recover 70% of construction waste by 2020. In this context, a law on the circular economy published on February 11, 2020 requires that deconstruction and reuse be favored during all demolition or rehabilitation work.
Deconstruction rather than demolition
The construction and public works sector is characterized by a high consumption of raw materials. According to the Interprofessional for Deconstruction and Reuse (IDRE), it takes about 30 kg of natural resources to manufacture 1 kg of industrial products. On a classic demolition site, these same products are systematically sent to recycling centers where they can, in some cases, be recycled. “
Recycling is not the same as reusing
explains Nonna Algourdin, lecturer at the National School of Engineers of Saint-Étienne.
Materials that can be recycled are transformed.
It is their material that is recyclable and not the objects as they are.
Otherwise, they are destroyed, buried or incinerated.
However, a good part of the construction materials are reusable in the state after revision, according to the IDRE.
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Circular deconstruction then intervenes. It makes it possible to break this traditional pattern and drastically reduce the consumption of raw materials and the production of waste. In this new process, materials are deconstructed without being destroyed. “
This is what we call methodical removal
,” laughs Ninon David, from the RéaVie association. She is responsible for one of the three storage, repair and resale platforms of her association. After recovering the materials directly from the construction sites, its team of "
valorist technicians
" check them, repair them, clean them... They ensure that their condition allows them to be reused, either for a similar use, or for appropriate or misuse.
Multiple objectives
Circular deconstruction and the reuse of construction materials are part of an environmental approach, but not only.
They have several objectives, in addition to the desire to reduce the production of waste and the exploitation of primary resources.
An economic objective in particular, because reuse is economically viable.
It saves on clearing costs for companies and procures materials at a lower cost for buyers.
On the other hand, it promotes the relocation of the economy with the creation of local jobs.
These new jobs reveal issues that are also social.
"
We try to create a sector, to reveal professional projects
" says Ninon David.
At RéaVie, employees are in professional integration.
“
We have very different profiles, but they are all people who are quite far from employment,
” she adds.
The association hopes to create a movement of migration of budgets intended for industrial materials towards people: "
We prefer to invest in people's work rather than in the extraction of resources
" sums up Ninon David.
A sector in transition?
Driven by the momentum generated by the 2020 law on the circular economy, the construction sector is slowly becoming aware of the deconstruction and reuse of materials.
"
A lot of players are realizing that the tide is turning
," confides Ninon David, who claims shops are increasingly frequented, "
as much by professionals as by individuals
."
For her part, Nonna Algourdin speaks of an "
ambitious law
", and acknowledges the State's efforts to move things forward: "
For about 5 years, funding for research on this subject has increased
".
Opinion shared by Ninon David, who affirms that his association feels "
supported by the public authorities
".
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Nevertheless, "
There are still a lot of efforts to be made
" says Ninon David, "
companies still have trouble with the idea of paying to give
".
Nonna Algourdin confirms this trend: "
We talk a lot about ecology, but if there is not also an economic interest behind...it ticks
".
The teacher-researcher also points to the paradoxical aspect of the (too?) great ambition of the law of February 11, 2020: “
the objectives of the law will be complicated to achieve, we have to see how we actually put them in place
” she wonders.