A development that could redefine the recycling of mineral building materials: Etex and Heidelberg Materials have announced a partnership to create a closed loop for fiber cement. For the first time, fiber cement demolition material will be systematically returned to cement production – a step that could significantly increase the previously low recycling rate of this mineral-bonded material.
Fiber cement, which is mainly used in facade panels and roof coverings, consists of Portland cement, mineral aggregates and cellulose fibers. The challenge in recycling lies in the strong bonding of the components: while recycled building materials such as concrete rubble are already well established, fiber cement has largely been overlooked so far. Both partners now want to set up take-back systems in which fiber cement demolition material from renovation and deconstruction projects is collected, processed and fed into cement production as a secondary raw material.
For Etex, which is among Europe's leading providers of facade and roof systems, the partnership is a building block for reducing the CO₂ footprint of its own products. The integration of recycled material reduces the need for primary clinker and thus the energy expenditure in production. Heidelberg Materials benefits from an additional source for secondary fuels and mineral raw materials – while simultaneously increasing the clinker factor in the cement recipe through the use of recycled mineral components.
The initiative is part of a series of circular economy models that both companies have been pursuing recently. Etex has already strengthened its market position in drywall construction by bundling Siniat and Promat and is increasingly focusing on EPD-certified products. Heidelberg Materials, in turn, is advancing the use of steel slag and alternative cements – such as through the cooperation with SSAB for low-carbon cement production.
From the perspective of planners and building material merchants, the development is particularly relevant if the take-back system is also economically scalable. The key will be whether the logistical expenses for collection and processing can be offset by savings in primary raw materials. If this succeeds, the model could also be applied to other mineral-bonded materials and sustainably strengthen the circular economy in construction.
