How is waste management handled before construction begins

Since 2021, waste management regulations require that quotes for building construction, renovation, and demolition work include specific information regarding waste management.

From now on, quotes for construction must include:

• An assessment of the total quantity of waste produced by the company during the construction project
• The methods used for the management and disposal of this waste, including details on sorting carried out on site and the types of waste intended for separate collection
• The locations designated for waste collection, such as professional recycling centers or collection points, with their addresses and company names
• An estimate of the costs of each operation

Note that a new procedure has been implemented involving the creation of a waste deposit slip. This document, signed by the company generating the waste and the entity responsible for receiving it, will be provided to the project owner. This document must contain detailed information such as the type of waste, the location of the construction site, the project owner’s legal information, the quantity or volume of each type of waste, the legal information of the collection site, and the date of waste disposal.

To comply with the presentation requirements in the event of an audit, this document must be kept for a minimum period of three years.

Focus on Track

It is important to note that the state of offers a free digital application, which aims to facilitate live waste tracking while providing greater transparency and reliability within the waste management sector.

Enhanced Waste Management

Regarding the waste diagnosis, it has become mandatory since 2022 for the project owner to carry out a specific diagnosis during demolition or major renovation operations.

The term “significant demolition or renovation” refers to:

• Building complexes whose combined floor area exceeds 1,000 square meters, considered within the overall project framework
• Structures that have housed one or more hazardous substances, in accordance with the Labor Code

The associated assessment is required before submitting official permit applications for urban planning projects (such as construction, demolition, or development) or, if this is not possible, before finalizing the acceptance of bids or the conclusion of contracts.

Waste Management During Construction

Seven-Stream Sorting

Since 2016, construction sites have been required to separate five categories of waste at source, known as “five-stream sorting.”

However, these regulations have evolved with the entry into force of a decree, extending this obligation to seven waste categories, now called “7-stream sorting.” This change introduces two new categories of waste to be sorted:

• Mineral waste, including concrete, bricks, tiles, ceramics, and stone
• Plaster waste, including plasterboard, cellular partitions, and plasterboard slabs and tiles

These two new categories are therefore in addition to the five existing categories: paper and cardboard, metals, plastics, glass, and wood.

Material recovery amounts to 68%, if all waste is taken into account. However, these figures are expected to increase significantly with the implementation of the new legislation.

What are the upcoming regulatory changes? The new waste regulations in the construction industry aim to increase recycling and recovery thresholds, introduce new responsibilities for waste producers, and increase traceability and reporting requirements.

The circular economy and reuse are at the heart of the approach

For construction companies, these regulations require adapting their processes and equipment. This can translate into investments in new sorting and recycling technologies, hiring dumpster rentals and better waste management practices.