Regulations in Portugal promote the reuse of construction materials through the Legal Regime for Waste Management (RJGR) and, in particular, the Legal Regime for Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) Management (Decree-Law no. 102/2021).
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Waste Hierarchy and Priority:
The RJGR establishes the Waste Hierarchy, where Prevention and Reuse are the highest priority waste management options, above recycling, energy recovery, and disposal (Art. 7 of DL 102/2021).
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Mandatory Recovery (70% Target):
Legislation imposes on waste producers the obligation to integrate a CDW Management Plan into construction and demolition projects. The legal objective is to ensure that at least 70% of the total weight of CDW (excluding hazardous ones) is sent for reuse, recycling, or other forms of material recovery (Art. 24 of DL 102/2021).
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Incentives:
In addition to the mandatory legal framework, there are support programs, such as the Support Program for More Sustainable Buildings, which complement the guidelines and offer co-participation for the use of recycled materials and ecomaterials, fostering the circular economy.