The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) has issued the Ministerial Resolution No. 21 of 2019 on the use of recycled aggregates from construction and demolition waste for road construction and other infrastructure projects carried out by the public and private sectors in the UAE. MOCCAE developed the document in coordination with the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and municipal authorities.
The resolution outlines environmental prerequisites for recycling cement, concrete, steel, bricks, gravel, sand, asphalt, timber, and gypsum waste into new high-value materials.
The decree mandates concerned local departments to ensure that contractors collect and sort waste generated at construction and demolition sites.
Depending on their size, the recycled materials can be used for paving roads, grading dirt roads and parking areas, or earth filling at construction sites.
The aggregates must undergo quality testing in laboratories to verify their compliance with UAE standards as well as LEED and BREEAM certification requirements. Under the resolution, government and private contractors can meet up to 40 percent of their material requirements from recycled aggregates.
Recycling construction and demolition waste supports a smooth transition to the circular economy and increases the efficiency of waste management, while easing the pressure on landfills. Doing so also helps improve human health and conserve natural resources through reduced reliance on virgin aggregates.