Construction products

The European Construction Products Regulation No. 305/2011 regulates the placing on the market, the marketing of construction products and defines provisions for the safety of buildings, the durability and energy efficiency of construction products as well as for aspects of health and environmental protection. A CE-marking of construction products has been introduced as proof of conformity with the requirements and harmonization legislation. In Germany, the technical assessment center for construction products is located at the German Institute for Building Technology (DIBt).

In the CEN/TC 351 working group, criteria and methods for the assessment of the release of hazardous substances from construction products are developed. The recommendations for the application of a bioassay battery for the ecotoxicological evaluation of construction products are given in DIN CEN/TS 17459 (2023-02): Construction Products: Evaluation of the release of hazardous substances - Determination of the ecotoxicity of eluates from building products.

For this purpose, monolithic, panel or flat building products are eluted by the dynamic surface leaching test (DSLT) (DIN CEN/TS 16637-2, draft DIN EN 16637-2) and granular products by the horizontal up-flow percolation test (DIN CEN/TS 16637-3, draft DIN EN 16637-3). Subsequently, the eluates are analysed in the algae, daphnia, luminescent bacteria (minimal test battery) as well as in the fish egg test, umu test and Ames fluctuation test (extended test battery).

Comparable criteria are also specified in various European Assessment Documents (EADs)à www.eota.eu/what-ead) for construction product groups such as flexible roof sealing panels, plastic fittings made from recycled plastic waste or kits for exterior wall plaster panels, which serves as the basis for the European Technical Assessment (ETA). In Germany, the criteria of the DIBt guidance on the "Assessment of the effects of construction products on soil and groundwater" should also be considered.

In several projects for the German Federal Environment Agency, Hydrotox GmbH has supported the development of the criteria for the ecotoxicological assessment of building products, both from the technical and the experimental side, and has successfully organized two large European round robin tests to validate the proposed methods. On behalf of its customers, Hydrotox GmbH carries out investigations on various building products with the aim of applying for the relevant environmental labels ("Blue Angel").

Hydrotox offers a complete package for the ecotoxicological evaluation of construction products, including the DSLT or percolation test to produce the eluates and the subsequent application of the complete biotest battery.