There is an increased production of waste in society. Action must be t
aken not only to reduce the volume, but also to find use for the resid
ues that remain. At the same time, there is increasing objection to ut
ilisation of residues, because of the risk of polluting soil and groun
d water. Analysis based on a life-cycle approach must be encouraged to
handle the whole problem. Test methods and risk assessment procedures
are then needed which are relevant to residues used in different appl
ications. The paper discusses the use of residues in the construction
industry. The presentation deals with the possibilities and difficulti
es in using residues. Comparisons are made between the impact of using
such natural materials as sand and gravel, and residues. Specific use
s and test methods are not discussed in the paper. Copyright (C) 1996
Elsevier Science Ltd