In Spain, construction waste accounts for more than 30% of the total waste generated, with a recovery rate of only 48% according to the latest report from the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE).

Paper Sacks Go Circular Spain is an alliance of companies that share a common interest in closing the loop and building a circular economy for paper bags in Spain. Starting with paper bags for construction materials, the coalition will look for synergies with other construction and demolition waste streams to increase volumes and achieve economies of scale. It aims to improve the recycling of paper bags used for construction materials such as cement, plaster and insulation, balancing the sustainability and economic aspects, and is expected to have a positive impact on the industry's overall business model.

Industry associations Eurosac and CEPI Eurokraft will host the alliance, driven by a shared goal: perfecting circularity of paper bags in construction.

In June, Paper Sacks Go Circular Spain hosted a webinar called Construction Goes Circular, with over 80 participants from the industry to introduce the initiative and explain the roles and responsibilities within the value chain. Topics included fostering relationships between participants, extending the circular model to other construction materials and promoting membership of the alliance. The Arpada Group from Spain is already a good example of this alliance in action. They are successfully separating the construction waste for efficient recycling of the paper bags and are working on more optimised waste management systems.

This initiative demonstrates Mondi's commitment to collaborating with industry partners across the value chain to increase recycling rates for used paper bags. It creates a scalable approach for the rest of Europe and other industries, leading to a reduction in waste management costs, a significant increase in the valorisation rate, and supports transparency and traceability of the circular economy. We are proud to be one of the founding initiators.

Carlos Martinez Ezquerra, Circular Economy Manager at Mondi Flexible Packaging

Next steps for the alliance include working groups on process optimisation, traceability and certification, training, best practises, communication, and synergies with other construction waste materials. Construction industry partners who are interested in joining the alliance are encouraged to contact CoCircular for more information.