EU Tightens Rules on Substances in Construction Materials
The European Commission has issued Regulation (EU) 2026/245, which amends the conditions of use for several substances in construction materials. The update tightens the regulatory environment for health, safety, and sustainability in the built environment. This will likely accelerate the adoption of transparent supply chains and digital material passports in the Dutch construction sector.
- This regulation is part of a comprehensive revision of the EU's Construction Products Regulation (CPR), first introduced in 2011. The update aligns the sector with the European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan, aiming to make sustainable and reusable products the norm. - The Netherlands has set a national goal to achieve a 50% reduction in the use of primary raw materials by 2030 and a fully circular economy by 2050, ambitions that are directly supported by the new EU rules. The Dutch construction sector is responsible for half of the country's total resource consumption, making its transition critical. - A key feature of the updated CPR is the introduction of Digital Product Passports (DPPs). These passports will provide detailed information on a product's composition, environmental impact, and potential for reuse or recycling, enhancing transparency throughout the supply chain. - The regulation introduces mandatory, phased-in environmental reporting for construction products. Starting from January 2026, manufacturers must disclose the Global Warming Potential (GWP) for certain product families, with requirements expanding to cover the full life cycle and other environmental indicators by 2032. - Priority for the new harmonized standards and environmental declarations will be given to high-impact product families such as cement, concrete, steel, aluminum, iron, insulation, and adhesives. - The revised regulation strengthens the role of member states in the standard-setting process through a "CPR Acquis Expert Group," allowing national regulatory needs to be better integrated into harmonized European standards. - To support the transition, the Dutch government has already been promoting circular construction through initiatives like the 'Circular Construction 2023' platform and Green Deals for bio-based and circular buildings. Some municipalities now use circularity as a key criterion in public project tenders. - The Netherlands has been a forerunner in the adoption of material passports, with platforms like Madaster, developed in the country, creating online libraries for building materials to prevent them from becoming waste. Tax incentives like the Environmental Investment Rebate Scheme (MIA) are in place to encourage developers to register these passports.
