Traceability of inert waste and excavated soil in quarry

Because it represents a major challenge in terms of reducing the production of construction waste, the traceability of waste has been the focus of attention for the past ten years.

On the quarries side, two types of waste are particularly targeted: inert waste and excavated soil.

In practice, their recovery makes it possible to limit the storage of useless waste and thus to considerably reduce the overall volume of waste on site. However, for an efficient traceability of waste and an optimal recovery, the challenge is to understand what is meant today by inert waste.

Because let's face it, this type of waste is quite particular! According to the Environment Code (Article R. 541-8), can be considered as an inert waste: " any waste which does not undergo any significant physical, chemical or biological modification, which does not decompose, does not burn, does not produce any physical or chemical reaction, is not biodegradable and does not deteriorate the materials with which it comes into contact, in a way likely to lead to damage to the environment or human health" .

The majority of these inert wastes are so-called mineral wastes. They come from the building and public works sector, in particular from construction and demolition activities: stone, earth, concrete, cinderblocks, bricks, glass, tiles...

Some of the inert materials also come from the extractive industry, i.e. from the exploitation of the quarries in which you work on a daily basis.

But in concrete terms, why is the traceability of inert waste so important today? 

Traceability of waste: the first action to act on non-biodegradable waste

Even if they are not dangerous for the environment and human health, inert waste represents nearly 70% of the waste from the construction sector. This is equivalent to 28 million tons each year. Main problem: it is not biodegradable. 

Translation ? In view of the quantity, this waste represents an important risk of landscape degradation (land use, visual pollution...).

The traceability of waste has therefore become, over time, an absolute necessity to avoid illegal dumping and ensure a maximum recovery rate of identified waste.

Because in practice, let's keep in mind that inert waste is actually a gold mine in terms of material!

Moreover, the term "waste" is, in fine, far from the potential of reuse and recyclability of these materials. And let's not forget the profitability that you could benefit from by allowing their reuse.

But beware, in either case, you must start by organizing the traceability of inert waste from your quarry to be able to draw any benefit (environmental or economic). 

Did you know? The 2020 recycling rate target has been reached!

Aware of the value of inert waste, the 2008/98/EC framework directive set the recycling rate at 70% by 2020.

This first objective was largely exceeded with 76% of inert waste recycled. A great collective success that has promptedUNICEM (Union nationale des industries de quarries et matériaux de construction) and the public authorities to raise their ambitions for the sector's waste. The new objective is to reach 90% of recycled materials by 2028. To reach this goal, Synaxe provides you with an update on the current regulations and the methods to be used. 

Waste traceability, at the heart of the regulations

In February 2020, a governmental law made waste traceability in France an unavoidable subject for all professionals in the construction industry, including quarries.

Its name? The law n°2020-105 of February 10, 2020.

Its objective? To fight against waste and the circular economy - hence its nickname "anti-waste law".

To do this, this law relies on the traceability of waste, excavated earth and sediments. Better still, Decree No. 2021-321 of March 25, 2021 on the traceability of waste has changed the regulations in this area.

From now on, waste traceability means the dematerialization of waste tracking slips (BSD), the widening of the scope of the obligation to keep chronological registers and the obligation to transmit the contents of the chronological register.

This will improve the traceability of waste, but also fill a data gap and simplify your administrative obligations.

Regulatory Development #1: Keep a record of waste, excavated soil and sediment

New waste managers, including managers of excavated soil and sediment with or without waste status, are now required to keep an internal chronological record to facilitate waste tracking.

According to the I of article R.541-43-1 of the environmental code, the managers of excavated soil and sediments concerned are those " producing or shipping excavated soil and sediments, collectors, transporters, traders, brokers, operators of transit, consolidation or processing facilities for excavated soil and sediments, and persons recovering excavated soil and sediments" . Each must maintain " a chronological record of the generation, shipment, receipt, and treatment of such wastes and the products and materials derived from the recovery of such wastes. "

Good to know: in 2022, waste traceability will go digital!

As of January 1, 2022, as :

• persons producing or processing excavated soil and sediments ;
• persons operating a transit or consolidation facility for excavated soil and sediments;

You are required to submit the contents of your chronological register to the National Waste Register in electronic format. 

How do you do this? Via a teleservice system accessible from the National Register of Waste, Excavated Soil and Sediments (RNTDS) website. 

When do you have to pay? Within seven days of the generating event for waste. Please note: for excavated earth and sediments, you have until the last day of the month following the generating event to make your declaration and meet your waste traceability obligation.

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Regulatory development n°2: guarantee the traceability of hazardous waste via dematerialized tracking slips

To ensure the traceability of hazardous waste, the decree of March 25, 2021 requires stakeholders involved in waste prevention and management, as well as producers and managers of excavated soil and sediment, to dematerialize their waste tracking slips. This dematerialization will be mandatory since January 1, 2022 via the Trackdéchets application: a system for managing waste tracking slips (BSD). 

Good to know: paper-based waste tracking still relevant in 2022

The traceability of certain hazardous waste by digital means will only be mandatory as of January 1, 2023. This concerns refrigerant waste and waste from care activities involving infectious and similar risks (DASRI). Consequently, the traceability of these wastes will still be done thanks to paper slips until December 31, 2022. 

2028 objective: improve waste traceability and reach 90% of recycled waste

quarries To reach the new goal set by the National Union of the Building Materials Industry (90% of inert waste recycled by 2028), you can take action on a daily basis and in the long term. How can you do it? By surrounding yourself with professionals who know the issues and constraints of your inert waste. 

Choose an eco-organization capable of handling your waste

In order to help companies to better manage their waste, to promote the traceability of waste, to take back used materials and to develop recycling, eco-organizations have been created and approved by the state during the last decade. Eco-mobilier, the eco-organization in charge of the furniture, games and toys, do-it-yourself and garden sectors, is a good example.

Following the anti-waste law for a circular economy (AGEC), and the extended producer responsibility (EPR) regime extended since January 1, 2022 to construction products and materials in the building sector, a new eco-organization was born.

Its name? Ecominero - an eco-organization created by and for manufacturers of mineral-based construction products and materials (you).

Its objective: to simplify your life in order to help you fulfill your new waste obligations, starting with waste traceability.

Ecominero is currently waiting for its approval. You can already pre-adhere. This action will allow us to demonstrate to the public authorities the importance of an eco-organization dedicated to the construction materials sector, which is mainly made of minerals.

Better understand: why pre-adhere to Ecominero?

By pre-adhering to Ecominero, you will say yes to a circular economy within your sector, yes to waste traceability and total recyclability. You will commit yourself to respect a rigorous set of specifications, favorable to the collection and treatment of inert waste. But above all, you will be joining an organization whose solutions have been specially designed to enable you to comply with these specifications in accordance with your extended producer responsibility (EPR) obligations. As soon as Ecominéro will have obtained its approval, you will be able to benefit from :   

• a territorial network of inert waste collection points close to your sites;
• the traceability of waste from your quarry to the use of materials in their second life;
• regular information on your quarterly and annual obligations as well as awareness of good waste sorting practices on your sites.

To meet your legal obligations and boost your recycling rate: collaborate, calculate, initiate and raise awareness! 

• First solution: set up partnerships with local recycling channels.
• Second solution: favour aggregate production based on your customers' real needs.
• Third solution: initiate recycling within your own quarry by using, for example, inert waste for the partial or total filling of extraction areas or even the realization of landscape models. 
• Fourth solution: raise awareness and train your teams: the key to smooth waste traceability, sorting and recycling according to the rules of the trade - in compliance with your current obligations.

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As you will have understood, waste traceability is only the first step of your regulatory obligations in terms of inert waste and excavated soil in quarry.

It is partly thanks to it that the whole sector will manage to reach its new objective: 90% of inert waste recycled by 2028.

An ambition good for the environment, good for your finances, good for the image of quarries with the general public (concerned about the impact of quarries on the environment - fauna and flora included).

In 2022, waste traceability will take a new turn: dematerialization and collaboration. What happens next is up to you!