The contamination levels of recycled aggregates from construction and demolition waste in compliance with Italian and Spanish regulations

The aim of this study is to perform a comparative analysis of Italian and Spanish regulations for construction and demolition (C&D) waste management, to produce recycled aggregates (RAs). Furthermore, this study seeks to compare the results derived from the examination of leaching test results from RAs collected in both countries to identify the most critical pollutants. Our research involved a comprehensive comparison and analysis of waste management regulations in Italy and Spain, highlighting both commonalities and disparities. Approximately 40 certificates pertaining to the release of pollutants from RAs were collected, by employing the boxplot methodology to scrutinize the most critical parameters. The key findings of this study indicate that both Italy and Spain maintain stringent waste management regulations, although their implementation and enforcement practices exhibit notable differences. Spain lacks specific regulations for C&D waste recovery, instead applying limit values defined for the disposal of inert waste. The results derived from the elaboration of leaching test analysis suggest that the composition and characteristics of RAs are largely similar between the two countries. As concerns the data analysis, total chromium, sulfate, and selenium emerged as the most critical parameters for both countries. This work can prove valuable for policymakers in devising effective C&D waste management strategies, potentially paving the way for the implementation of new End-of-Waste (EoW) criteria in Spain and revisions to those recently proposed in Italy.