Closing the Loop: Article 27/28, Site‑Won Asphalt & Digital Transparency

A practical guide for developers, QS teams, and local authorities: how to reuse site‑won asphalt under Ireland’s EPA guidance (Articles 27 & 28) and TII’s circular economy strategy—backed by a defensible digital chain of custody.

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Policy‑Aligned
Use EPA Article 27/28 correctly to keep materials in circulation.

Evidence‑Ready
Time/GPS‑stamped, photo/signature‑backed records for audits.

QS & Admin Hours Saved
Cut reconciliation and query cycles with clean data.

TII Expectations
Supports circular procurement and digital asset management.

On this page

1. Executive Summary
2. Regulatory Framework: Articles 27 & 28
3. TII: Circular Economy & Digitalisation
4. Site‑Won Asphalt: Eligibility & Specifications
5. The Evidence Challenge
6. Digital Chain of Custody (Hub360)
7. Hub360 Case Study-Road maintenance & site won Asphalt
8. Implementation Playbook
9. Risks & Mitigations
10. FAQs
11. References (EPA / TII / EU)

Executive Summary

Ireland’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides the regulatory pathway to keep materials in use through Article 27 (By‑Products) and Article 28 (End‑of‑Waste). In parallel, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has set out clear expectations for a circular economy and digitalisation across national roads. One high‑impact opportunity is reusing site‑won asphalt (road planings)—a lower‑carbon alternative to virgin bituminous materials—when quality and compliance are proven.

The challenge is evidence. Paper chains struggle to meet EPA criteria or satisfy audits. A digital chain of custody (time/GPS stamps, photos, signatures, validations) provides the defensible record developers, QS teams, and authorities need to apply Article 27/28 correctly and confidently scale reuse.

Regulatory Framework: Articles 27 & 28

Article 27 — By‑Products (EPA)

Article 27 allows a producer to designate a substance/object as a by‑product (not waste) when all four conditions are met:

• Further use is certain (there is a clear, identified end use).
• Can be used directly without further processing other than normal industrial practice.
• Produced as an integral part of a production process.
• Lawful use: fulfils relevant product, environmental and health protection requirements; will not lead to overall adverse environmental or human health impacts.

In Ireland, producers notify the EPA (online) and keep records. The EPA maintains a public Article 27 Register with successful notifications and material types.

Article 28 — End‑of‑Waste (EPA)

Article 28 applies when a material was a waste but, after a recovery/recycling process, can be considered to have ceased to be waste. Typical criteria include:

• Specific use is established and there is a market or demand.
• Meets technical requirements and legal standards applicable to products.
• Use will not lead to overall adverse environmental or human health impacts.

In Ireland, applicants submit evidence to the EPA; decisions and conditions are listed on the Article 28 Register. Quality protocols and continuous controls are expected.

TII: Circular Economy & Digitalisation

Circular Economy (2023–2025)

• Reduce resource consumption (prioritise reuse over virgin inputs).
• Asset management to maximise pavement lifecycle value.
• Waste minimisation and higher reuse/recycling rates.
• Procurement leverage to drive circularity in the supply chain.

Digitalisation (2021–2025)

• Digital asset management for data‑led maintenance and planning.
• ITS & data capture (e.g., ANPR, CCTV) to improve safety and operations.
• Electrification & digital services to enable sustainable mobility.

Taken together, TII’s policies create a clear expectation: prove circular outcomes with digital evidence.

Site‑Won Asphalt: Eligibility & Specifications

• EPA/EU stance: Site‑won asphalt (road planings) can qualify as by‑product (Art. 27) or end‑of‑waste (Art. 28) when criteria are met.
• TII specifications: Road Pavements – Bituminous Materials permits reclaimed asphalt (RA) content within defined limits and quality controls for new mixtures.
• Environmental benefit: Reclaimed asphalt can reduce lifecycle emissions versus virgin mixes when quality and performance are maintained.

Key point: The status (by‑product vs end‑of‑waste) hinges on origin and processing. Either route requires traceable, quality‑assured evidence.

The Evidence Challenge

• Proving intended further use and normal industrial practice (Art. 27) or recovery quality and market demand (Art. 28).
• Maintaining chain of custody from planing to incorporation.
• Responding quickly to audits (EPA/TII) and client QS queries.
• Replacing paper trails that are incomplete, illegible, or slow to retrieve.

Digital Chain of Custody with Hub360

Capture and verify each movement and transformation step with structured, searchable data:

1) Capture at Source

Planings logged on mobile with timestamp, GPS, site ID, material type, vehicle/driver, and optional photos/signatures.

2) Classify

Map entries to Article 27 (by‑product) or Article 28 (end‑of‑waste) routes. Attach test results, specifications, and intended use documentation.

3) Verify & Share

Auto‑receipts to QS and subcontractors; role‑based access for clients, auditors, and authorities; instant retrieval for valuations.

4) Reuse & Report

Link records to TII specification limits, batch tickets, and site incorporation; export evidence packs for audits and tenders.

Hub360 Case Study-Road maintenance & site won Asphalt

Monaghan Local Authority, NRA & TII customer story shows how replacing paper dockets with verifiable digital records reduces admin, accelerates reconciliations, and strengthens client confidence. For site‑won asphalt workflows, the same approach provides the chain of custody required to support Article 27 notifications or Article 28 applications, with evidence available on demand for QS checks and audits.

Implementation Playbook

1. Select Pilot Corridor/Scheme — choose a resurfacing job with significant planings.
2. Define Route — 27 (by‑product) if direct reuse with normal practice is certain; 28 (end‑of‑waste) if recovery/recycling is required.
3. Configure Fields — site IDs, chain‑of‑custody actors, load type/qty, timestamps/GPS, vehicle/driver, photos, signatures, test certs.
4. Onboard Supply Chain — toolbox talk; one‑pager; auto‑receipts for confirmations; offline capture enabled.
5. Quality & Specs — align with TII Road Pavements – Bituminous Materials limits; attach lab results and batch data.
6. Notify/Apply — file Article 27 notification or Article 28 application per EPA guidance; store references in the record.
7. Evidence Packs — export per site/phase for QS valuations, audits, and tenders.
8. Scale — standardise across frameworks and contractors.

Risks & Mitigations

Risk	Impact	Mitigation
Insufficient evidence for 27/28	Reclassification as waste; delays	Mandatory fields, lab results, intended‑use documentation, audit trail
Supply chain non‑adoption	Breaks in chain of custody	Simple mobile flow; toolbox talks; auto‑receipts; role‑based access
Connectivity constraints	Gaps in capture	Offline capture; sync and completeness checks
Spec non‑conformance	Performance issues; rejection	Link to TII spec limits; attach batch/lab certificates; approvals workflow

Show a compliant chain of custody in minutes

See how Hub360 captures Article 27/28 evidence at source and exports audit‑ready packs for QS, clients, and authorities.

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FAQs

When should we use Article 27 vs Article 28? Use 27 when material is an intended by‑product with direct reuse after normal practice. Use 28 when waste has undergone a recovery process and meets product‑equivalent criteria.

Do we have to notify/apply to the EPA? Yes—Article 27 requires a producer notification; Article 28 requires an application/decision. The EPA publishes public registers for both.

How do we align with TII specs? Record reclaimed asphalt (RA) content, test certs, and batch data against TII limits; attach approvals to each evidence pack.

What proof do QS teams need? Time/GPS stamps, photos/signatures, vehicle/driver IDs, test results, and linkage to valuation lines and site phases.

How do we satisfy audits? Maintain an immutable audit trail with role‑based access; export structured reports mapping evidence to Article 27/28 criteria and TII specs.

References (EPA / TII / EU)

• EPA Ireland — Article 27 (By‑Products) Guidance & Register: official criteria, notification process, public register.
• EPA Ireland — Article 28 (End‑of‑Waste) Guidance & Register: application evidence, decisions, conditions, quality protocols.
• EPA Circular Economy Hub: policy context for by‑product and end‑of‑waste in Ireland.
• TII Circular Economy Policy & Strategy (2023–2025): reduced resource consumption, asset management, waste minimisation, procurement.
• TII Statement of Strategy (2021–2025): digitalisation, ITS, digital asset management, electrification.
• TII Road Pavements – Bituminous Materials: reclaimed asphalt (RA) specification and limits for new mixtures.
• Hub360 Customer Story: Monaghan Local Authority, TII & NRA