Approcci circolari per l’innovazione di procedimento, processo e prodotto nel settore dei laterizi

The 2030 Agenda, promoted by the United Nations, shows that waste management is one of the main challenges for the sustainable transition of Europe. Considering only the Italian area, statistics provided by Eurostat highlight an annual waste production of about 175 million tonnes, 26,4% of which comes only from the Building and Construction sector (B&Cs). In this context, the management and treatment of end-of-life products can also positively or negatively impact climate change. As a result, it is necessary to shift from a linear to a circular economy, encouraging reuse, recycling, and recovery of materials and products. The application of circular approaches in the B&Cs could be an opportunity to rethink the current production processes of materials and the design processes of the built environment. Through a cross-sectional critical reading of the waste regulation in force in Italy, the article aims to illustrate possible circular practices in the brick industry with a multi-scalar approach: from territory to the product. Overall, the article describes how the brick sector is a field of research in which circular scenarios can be the driver of process and product innovation. Nevertheless, applying these practices requires a systematic and programmatic vision borrowed from long-term research experiences in collaboration with universities, research centers, and consulting companies.