Our goal: Improving circular economy capabilities
Building materials from Xella consist mainly of natural raw materials and are almost completely recyclable. URSA insulation products are already largely made from reused materials. Therefore, the conversion of value chains to value cycles makes sense for us for ecological and economic reasons. The circular economy is thus a key aspect of our ESG strategy.
Further increase the use of recycled materials
It already starts with the use of raw materials: We are constantly trying to increase the proportion of recycled materials and thus reduce the need for new raw materials for production. For example, the goal is that in 2030 all the mineral wool manufactured at URSA will have more than 80% recycled material.
Conservation of resources through our circular economy
We conserve natural resources and avoid waste with our established circular economy processes. We already use autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) residues as raw materials and re-add them to the production process. We not only use residues from our own plants, but also collect AAC offcuts from our customers' construction sites. In the future, however, we want to go one step further and recover raw materials from demolition material from buildings. A pilot project has already been launched in Germany. This means that every building constructed from autoclaved aerated concrete and calcium silicate units will become a source of raw materials for Xella at the end of its life cycle.
Cradle2Cradle certified
In this concept, products are developed according to the principle of a closed and potentially infinite circular economy, without generating waste. Our Ytong autoclaved aerated concrete block Energy+ has even been awarded Cladle2Cradle Plantinum certification.
A second life for aerated concrete residues
If reuse in our own productions is not possible, we have established processes and products for alternative use. For example, we produce cat litter or oil binder from demolished autoclaved aerated concrete to enable sensible reuse and extend the life cycle of our products.
Innovative strength as a driver of the circular economy
We want to achieve more. We focus on innovation and research, bringing together our technical experts and our research teams to jointly find solutions for improving the circular economy capability of our products and establishing new processes in production.
This article was originally published on Xella in February 2021.
