Circularity

Raw materials are among the ecosystem services on which we depend. The amount of raw materials and waste generation are two pressing challenges we want to address. Our circularity roadmap shows our step-by-step approach to working on reductions: circular content in design, zero waste sent to landfill, take-back and reuse, and innovation.

Our goals for 2030

Our goals for 2030
Our goals for 2030
  • Use more than 20% of circular input as raw materials
  • Reduce plastic packaging by 20% and use recyclable plastic only
  • Offer a take-back service of our product portfolio in 80% of our European countries
  • Zero waste sent to landfill
  • Invest 50% of our innovation resources to sustainability

Our 2023 results


7.6%


Recycled input

+29% vs. 2022


-7%


Plastic usage

vs. 2022


-28%



Waste sent to landfill

In absolute values vs. 2018


186,165.814


Total waste generated

Tonnes


119,321.302


Waste diverted from disposal

Tonnes


66,844.512


Waste directed to disposal

Tonnes

How do we reach our goals?

How do we reach our goals?
How do we reach our goals?

Use more than 20% of circular input as raw materials

At the end of 2023, we stood out as the top performer in Europe with:

  • >11% recycled gypsum, standing at 8.6%, and used 44% more gypsum waste compared to our 2018 baseline.
  • >75% recycled glass and >47% recycled polystyrene.

Reduce plastic packaging by 20% and use recyclable plastic only

  • Plastic reduction project implemented in several countries. See spotlight on packaging below.

Offer a take-back service of our product portfolio in 80% of our European countries

  • New solutions in place in Italy, Spain and Germany, in addition to the service already provided in France, Italy and the UK for plasterboard. See example below.
  • We introduced a take-back service pilot in the Insulation division.

Zero waste sent to landfill

  • 18 production sites sent zero waste to landfill.
  • We lay down clear and comprehensive guideline for waste and recycling reporting.

Invest 50% of our innovation resources to sustainability

  • 59% of our Research and Development (R&D) resources focused on sustainability, aiming to reduce CO2 emissions and raw material consumption.
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Our circularity roadmap:
3 circular process solutions

1. Circular content in design

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2. Zero waste sent to landfill

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3. Take back & reuse

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Spotlight on take-back offer

Spotlight on take-back offer
Spotlight on take-back offer

Etex leads the field as regards take-back offers in Europe. In Italy, the ‘PregyGreenService’ provided by our brand Siniat helped installers and contractors to easily dispose of 20,000 tonnes of plasterboard waste in 2023, addressing compliance challenges and environmental criteria. This service includes pickup, transportation, recycling, with additional support for retailers in waste collection management. Our commitment to circularity has been acknowledged with awards in Recycling and Circularity.

Spotlight on packaging

Spotlight on packaging
Spotlight on packaging

Promat significantly reduced the use of plastic packaging. At our passive fire protection plant in Dubai, UAE, we eliminated 84% of plastic by replacing plastic bags containing our cementitious sprays with recycled paper packaging. In our microporous plant in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, we eliminated 78% of plastic by replacing plastic packaging with recycled cardboard and paper packaging.