Legal analysis of Belgian legislation in order to facilitate the transition to a circular economy in the construction sector (R-11563)

Today we use a so-called linear approach in our production processes (take – make – waste). Significant amounts of waste are being produced each year without ensuring reuse or adequate recycling. Because of these practices, the extraction of (finite) natural resources continues. The construction sector is a strong economic and resource-consuming sector and, therefore, has a certain responsibility in this matter. Various stakeholders from the construction sector are aware of this and are willing to make a change towards a different and more sustainable approach: a circular economy. This is an economy that tries to retain the value of products, materials and natural resources for as long as possible and wants to minimise the production of waste. Within this research, I will conduct an analysis of two legal themes (waste/materials and public procurement) in order to find out if Belgian legislation hinders the transition to a circular economy and how we could solve some of the obstacles we may encounter.

Keywords:Circular Economy, Legal, Materials, Public Procurement, Waste

Disciplines:Administrative law, Environmental law