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Sanitary equipment

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The reuse potential of sanitary equipment is high as: their design and functionality do not change significantly over the years, it's relatively easy to find spare parts for them, and their dismantling is relatively easy.

 

According to the assessment in Bengt Dahlgren Gothenburg's guide, reusing:

  • a toilet set can save from 80 to 140 kgCO2_eq/set, depending on a bowl (floor-standing, wall-hung) and flush type;

  • a standard-size washing basin/sink can save around 60 kgCO2_eq/piece;

  • a mixer tap/faucet from 10-14 kgCO2_eq/piece, depending on its type.

 

Currently, sanitary equipment is usually reused either by individual stakeholders or between projects of the same owner. For instance, such secondary equipment can be found in Iceland on Efniveitan's website.

 

How to reuse and recycle

Toilet sets

  • while planning for reuse, remember that a complete toilet set includes mounting screws and, for wall-mounted toilets, parts that are built into the wall; try to harvest all or as many as possible of these elements;

  • check for any cracks or surface damage;

  • check the tightness of a gasket between a cistern and a toilet and a fill valve;

  • check if a toilet flush works, including a float valve;

  • empty the cistern;

  • clean before dismantling;

  • be careful when disassembling the supply water connection;

  • check the possibility of converting to double-flush (if applicable);

 

Older toilets sometimes do not have an option of two flushing volumes, which can lead to increased water consumption. Some manufacturers sell separate flush valves to convert an older toilet into a double-flush toilet. In case this is unavailable, such toilets can be located in spaces which are rarely used (e.g., basement); however, there may also be locations where a non-flushing WC seat may be preferable, for example, at the far end of a common waste water pipe to "rinse out" the main pipe better.

 

  • protect from damage while transporting and storing:

    > it is suggested that max. 3 toilet bowls should be stored and transported on one pallet;

 

Pallets produced before 2010 or manufactured outside of the EU may be treated with methyl bromide. They are marked with the letters MB and should be avoided. However, most pallets in Europe are marked EPAL or HT, which indicates that the material has been treated with heat rather than chemical substances.

 

>  toilet bowls should be screwed onto a pallet using the same holes and screws that were used before dismantling;

>  wall-mounted toilets should be put down as the pallet were the wall they were mounted on;

> protect toilet bowls from rubbing against each other (to avoid surface damage).

Washing basins/sinks

Mixer taps/faucets

Sources and further reading

1) EU Construction & Demolition Waste Management Protocol, including guidelines for pre-demolition and pre-renovation audits of construction works, 2024.

2) Bengt ÅTERBRUKSGUIDEN FÖR INSTALLATIONER, 2022.

3) IVL Svenska Miljöinstitutet. Arbetsguide - Återbruk av fasta interiöra byggprodukter, 2018.

5) IVL Svenska Miljöinstitutet. BYGGÅTERBRUKSGUIDEN - En vägledning för att underlätta återbruk av byggprodukter i bostäder, 2021.

6) Karlsson A, Ratfelt A, Eerola P, Bladh S. Återbruksguiden för installationer – Bengt Dahlgren, 2022.

7) CCBuild. Återbruk av VVS-produkter - Demonterings- och hanteringsinstruktioner, 2018.

8) Erfaringsrapport ombruk (Eng. Experience report reuse) - Kristian Augusts gate 13, 2021.

9) Circle House - Denmark's first circular housing project, 2018.


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