Increasing the acceptance and use of mineral secondary raw materials, taking account of the protected interests and application-related requirements of potential macro-economic benefits as well as sectoral economic incentives.

Well over half the waste generated in Germany is mineral waste. It represents a major potential for resource conservation. Huge quantities of natural, mineral raw materials, such as natural stone, sand, gravel and the building materials composed of them, can be saved by recycling this waste. The task of this research project was to analyse the previously unexploited potential for recycling the individual mineral wastes, taking account of the protected interests requirements of soil and groundwater conservation. Current obstacles to a more wide-scale, high-grade recycling were identified and proposals for solutions drawn up, which form the basis of a catalogue of proposals for innovative instruments. The main focus of the IÖW’s work was on identifying potential (economic) instruments which can have a positive environmental influence on the material flow of mineral waste.