Tracking and Reusing Road Planings: The New Compliance Standard for Circular Roads in Ireland and the EU
As infrastructure and construction projects come under increasing scrutiny to meet climate targets and support circular economy goals, the way road maintenance waste is handled is evolving rapidly. One area receiving focused attention is the management and reuse of road planings—the milled asphalt generated during resurfacing works.
Recent updates from both Irish and EU authorities now require clear tracking and appropriate reuse of these materials. These developments mark a turning point in how road authorities and contractors must operate.
Here’s a breakdown of the new landscape.
1. EPA By-Product Criteria for Asphalt (Ireland, Nov 2023)
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has introduced national criteria that allow site-won asphalt (road planings) to be classified as a by-product rather than waste—if it meets strict reuse conditions.
What this means:
Planings can be reused directly in new road layers, reducing the need for virgin materials
Waste permits may no longer be necessary, but proper documentation and traceability are
The reuse must pose no risk to the environment or public health
This policy supports both waste minimisation and compliance with Ireland’s circular economy goals.
Read the full EPA release
2. European Standard EN 13108-8: Reclaimed Asphalt Guidelines
The EU’s EN 13108-8 standard provides technical specifications for the use of reclaimed asphalt in new pavement mixtures. It covers:
Maximum allowable reuse percentages
Material quality controls and performance testing
Requirements for batch traceability
Compliance with this standard is becoming a key factor in meeting procurement and environmental obligations across EU-funded infrastructure projects.
3. TII Circular Economy Guide for Road Projects
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) recently published detailed guidance promoting circular economy principles in national road construction. It includes specific actions for the reuse of materials like road planings.
Key takeaways:
Encourages councils and engineers to integrate reuse from the design phase
Reinforces the need to track planings through their entire lifecycle
Supports national policy alignment with the Waste Management Plan for a Circular Economy
Access the TII Guide
What This Means for County Councils and Contractors
Public authorities are legally responsible for the materials removed, reused, or disposed of during roadworks. Under the Waste Management Act, CSRD, and PPN 06/21, county councils must:
Ensure all road planings are properly classified, reused, or disposed of
Track material flows and maintain audit-ready records
Demonstrate circular economy outcomes in public reporting and tender evaluations
In practice, this means subcontractors must also be held accountable. Without digital oversight, compliance gaps will persist—and liabilities will fall on the contracting authority.
How Hub360 Supports Road Material Compliance
Hub360 provides an all-in-one platform to track road planings in real time, from removal to reuse:
Geo-tagged load tracking
Classification between waste and by-product
Automated reuse reports for auditing and tendering
Integration-ready dashboards for county engineers and contractors
The result? Full material traceability, instant reporting, and effortless compliance with both national and EU requirements.
Final Thought
With new legislation and reporting frameworks in place, the reuse of road planings is no longer a “nice-to-have”—it is a regulatory requirement. Councils and contractors that embrace digital tools like Hub360 will not only meet compliance standards but also save money, reduce waste, and strengthen their procurement edge.
Want to see how this works in practice? Book a demo today.