The massive destruction caused by the war has posed an unprecedented challenge for Ukraine: managing millions of tons of construction waste. In search of effective solutions, Ukrainian specialists are increasingly turning to the experience of European countries that have already undergone legislative and technological transformation.

One such country is the Czech Republic. As of 2026, 90% of construction and demolition waste is recycled there, and the recovered materials are successfully used in new construction projects.

On May 21, 2026, the Ukraine Support Team, together with the Partnership Foundation, held an event with Czech experts in construction waste management. The specialists shared practical advice on the effective recycling of construction and demolition waste (CDW).

Miroslav Škopan — a representative of the Association for the Development of Construction Materials Recycling in the Czech Republic (ARSM), which celebrated its 31st anniversary in 2026. He shared practical experience and key approaches that have allowed the Czech Republic to make significant progress in recycling.

Miroslav Duhon — director of RED-BETON (Brno-Hrlice). He described the material recycling production process, practical implementation challenges, and provided specific recommendations for Ukraine.

Where to Begin

Miroslav Škopan emphasized that legislative regulation is the foundation for motivating manufacturers to recycle. Czech waste management legislation is based on the hierarchy established in Framework Directive 2008/98/EC. It places waste prevention first, followed by preparation for reuse without processing, then actual recycling, then disposal by incineration — with landfill burial last.

In EU countries, producers bear full responsibility for a product from construction through to waste disposal. A producer wishing to landfill waste in the Czech Republic must pay 1,600 Czech crowns (€65 per tonne). From 2030, in line with EU requirements, a complete ban on landfilling recyclable CDW will come into force.

In Ukraine, the situation is fundamentally different: landfilling construction waste remains the priority. The cost of disposing of a tonne of CDW at a landfill is only €6–8. These conditions give developers no incentive to handle their waste responsibly or to reuse materials.

At the same time, Ukraine is already moving toward harmonizing its legislation with European standards.

“The reform support team has already prepared four of the thirteen bills that need to be passed. They are expected to be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada in the near future,” said Olena Vusyk, Senior Project Manager for Waste Management Reform at the Reform Support Team under the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, during a presentation at the Ukraine Crisis Media Center on May 4, 2026.

Selective Demolition as the Basis for Quality Recycling

In Ukraine, sorting construction waste on-site during demolition remains the exception rather than the norm. Yet the quality of recycled material depends directly on the quality of the source material. Czech experts insist that selective dismantling must be carried out at the demolition or destruction site itself.

Before demolition begins, timber and other organic components must be separated, as well as hazardous materials — particularly asbestos, which requires special handling in accordance with sanitary regulations. On-site recycling is also the most cost-effective approach.

Miroslav Škopan gave a practical example: the redevelopment of a former factory in Brno, which is currently being partly converted into a residential and office complex. The old section of the building has been preserved and operates as a museum. Recycled material from the demolished structures was used directly on the same construction site.

However, selective on-site demolition is not always possible. In densely built urban areas — such as some of Brno’s narrow, busy streets — it is impossible to bring in large recycling machinery. In such cases, the rubble is transported to dedicated facilities, where it is further sorted on automated lines.

How to Get Construction Companies to Sort Waste

Miroslav Duhon, director of RED-BETON, highlighted a common barrier encountered in every country: construction firms have no interest in sorting and recycling waste without a clear financial incentive. RED-BETON solved this pragmatically — by introducing cost-effective pricing for those who bring pre-sorted waste to the recycling facility.

“Processing unsorted waste at Red Beton costs 70% more than sorted waste,” said Miroslav Duhon.

This mechanism directly encourages companies to change their behavior on the construction site.

What Ukraine Can Take Away

For Ukraine, the Czech experience is particularly valuable because it demonstrates a realistic, already-tested path that can be adapted to Ukrainian conditions — especially given the scale of destruction and the urgent need for reconstruction.

First: A clear regulatory framework is needed, defining the rules for handling construction and demolition waste: sorting requirements, recycling standards, quality control, and the use of secondary materials.

Second: A sectoral institution or platform is needed to bring together business, academia, authorities, communities, and experts. In the Czech Republic, ARSM plays this role. In Ukraine, a similar model could become an important market coordination tool and a channel for transferring international expertise.

Third: Pilot projects are needed in communities already dealing with large volumes of destruction — particularly in de-occupied and frontline territories. It is at the community level that practical models can be tested: from demolition and sorting to recycling and reuse of materials in local reconstruction projects.

Fourth: Trust in recycled materials must be built. This requires standards, laboratory testing, certification, compelling examples of successful application, and the inclusion of such materials in public procurement where technically justified.