Circularity

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At ROCKWOOL Group, we’re committed to supporting the transition towards a circular economy. Afterall, ROCKWOOL products are circular by nature, so they perfectly complement an economy where products are made from natural and abundant materials, designed for better and more durable use and can be infinitely recycled.

Following nature’s lead

In nature, circularity is the norm. All living things exist, die and return to life – sometimes in a new form – in a never-ending circle. Our products are made from natural stone, making it possible to fully recycle used stone wool into new stone wool – over and over again and without any loss of performance.

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Sustainability report 2022, SR22
ROCKWOOL Sustainability Report
ROCKWOOL on human rights
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ESG Data
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ROCKWOOL on decarbonisation
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ROCKWOOL on circularity
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ROCKWOOL on environmental footprint
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ROCKWOOL on embodied carbon
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ROCKWOOL on stone
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Methodology statement
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Why circularity makes sense – especially in construction

By taking a circular approach – where waste is designed out and resources are used efficiently – we can create an economy that’s both sustainable and profitable. Such a shift is particularly urgent in construction, the single largest consumer of resources in the world that uses a staggering three billion tonnes of raw materials every year. Construction-related waste is also a massive problem, accounting for 36 percent[1] of all the solid waste generated globally. if the construction and demolition industries became more circular in their approach to waste, it could save more than 2 billion tons of CO2 by 2050[2]. That’s the equivalent of saving the CO2 generated by almost 400 million cars in one year!

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Circularity fact sheet
8 facts about circularity

Twenty five percent of the world’s water and 40 percent of its resources are used by buildings, while creating one-third of all waste and 40 percent of global carbon emissions. Check out these 8 facts about the circularity stone wool!

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In 2022, we collected and recycled
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of stone wool through our recycling services

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different countries

ROCKWOOL Group’s circular business model

A circular approach looks at waste as a valuable resource that can be repurposed and turned into something new. Embracing circularity minimises resource consumption and waste to landfill. Our circular business model helps us turn waste into new raw materials and take back and recycle construction site waste and used products.

Durability

If a product is durable, it can endure continued use over a long period, maintaining a constant performance. Our products are exceptionally resilient and long-lasting, keeping their thermal and mechanical properties for at least 55 years – and likely, a lot longer. A durable construction product that maintains strong performance throughout its lifetime does not need maintenance or regular replacement, and effectively helps to extent the lifespan of the building. It also helps to use less resources, create less waste and its manufacturing impact is spread over a longer period of time.

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7 strenghts of stone, stärken von steinwolle, robustness, durability, langlebigkeit, rock, stone, germany

Our pioneering reclaimed material service Rockcycle® is central to our circularity ambitions.

A key attribute of our stone wool is that it can be fully recycled into new products – infinitely, and without any loss in performance. As a company that aspires to take responsibility for its own resources, we do not, however, simply rely on our products being ‘recyclable’. In 2022, we expanded our Rockcycle® reclaimed material service offering to two new countries – Romania and Finland and increased the volume of reclaimed material that was recycled by 25 percent.  We are very proud to say that we offer Rockcycle® in 19 countries by 2022 and are on track to meet our long term goal to offer the services in 30 countries by 2030.

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Sustainability report 2022, SR22 , Infographics

Building an eco-system with other industries

The technologies that create our products also enable us to use waste from other industries as a raw material. We recycle our own waste from production and we upcycle secondary materials from other industries. Cooperating in this way helps to divert materials from landfill and keep them in the economy.

factory, IST

Circular urban regeneration

As the world’s population continues to grow rapidly, pressure on natural resources will only increase. This brings the need for a circular economy into sharp focus – a system where there is no waste, just valuable resources. It highlights just how important it is for us to put circularity into practice throughout our business. From moving towards zero waste at our production sites to closing the loop on ROCKWOOL’s materials, learn more about our circularity initiatives by downloading our sustainability report.

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Learn more and check out our case studies today.

Wilmcote House, Thermal Properties
casestudy, case study, reference, roof, piched roof, referenz, bubiza, Bundesbildungszentrum des Zimmerer- und Ausbaugewerbes, Kassel, germany
Case Study, Tower Hamlets
Wilmcote House, Thermal Properties
casestudy, case study, reference, roof, piched roof, referenz, bubiza, Bundesbildungszentrum des Zimmerer- und Ausbaugewerbes, Kassel, germany
Case Study, Tower Hamlets
Wilmcote House, Thermal Properties

The Wilmcote House, Portsmouth, UK

Fighting fuel poverty

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casestudy, case study, reference, roof, piched roof, referenz, bubiza, Bundesbildungszentrum des Zimmerer- und Ausbaugewerbes, Kassel, germany

Bubiza, Kassel, Germany

Protecting future roofers with the ultimate roof system

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Case Study, Tower Hamlets

Tower Hamlets , London, UK

Energy performance gets a facelift.

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