Heterogeneity and Trends in Construction and Demolition Waste Recovery: A Descriptive Statistical Analysis of European Countries (2010–2020) with Implications for Quality Management and ISO Standards

This study analyses the heterogeneity and trends in the recovery rate of construction and demolition waste (CDW) in European countries and the United Kingdom over the period 2010–2020. Construction and demolition waste represents one of the major waste streams in Europe and is closely associated with pressures on land resources, including agricultural land, making its recovery an important element of sustainable waste and environmental management. In this context, effective CDW recovery is also relevant to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), through its connection with sustainable urban development and improved waste management, and SDG 15 (Life on Land), through its relevance to the protection and sustainable use of land resources. Using secondary data from Eurostat, the study applies a descriptive statistical approach to examine the evolution and distribution of CDW recovery rates across European countries and the United Kingdom. The analysis focuses on key descriptive statistical indicators, including the mean, median, standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis, in order to identify general trends, differences in national performance and the degree of heterogeneity in recovery rates over the analysed period. The results indicate an overall increasing trend in CDW recovery rates, suggesting a general improvement in waste recovery performance during the period under consideration. This development is consistent with the broader transition towards circular economy principles and improved resource management in Europe. Nevertheless, substantial differences remain between countries. While some countries demonstrate consistently high and relatively stable recovery rates, others present lower levels of performance and considerable fluctuations over time. The statistical distribution further indicates a concentration of observations towards higher recovery values, while the presence of extreme values affects the overall distribution and the interpretation of the average recovery rate. The findings also highlight the relevance of systematic environmental and quality management approaches for improving waste management performance. In this context, international standards such as ISO 14001 provide an important framework for establishing structured environmental management practices, monitoring performance and supporting continuous improvement in organisations involved in construction and demolition waste management. Overall, the results demonstrate that, despite the general improvement in CDW recovery across the analysed countries, significant heterogeneity persists. The differences observed in recovery performance underline the importance of strengthening environmental management practices, improving institutional capacity and promoting greater policy harmonisation, particularly in countries with comparatively lower or more volatile recovery rates. The study therefore contributes to a better understanding of differences in CDW recovery performance and their relevance to sustainable urban development, responsible land management and the implementation of SDG 11 and SDG 15 within the European context.