Your old windows have just come down! The manufacturer removed the faded aluminium frames with single glazing, and in their place stand sleek, modern, energy-rated windows. Your joy is immense.
But what happens with the old frames? Can you throw them away or must you handle them in a specific way? Can you make money by selling them as scrap? Let us see exactly what the regulations require.
The short answer is: Yes, proper disposal of old windows is mandatory. You cannot simply throw them in a bin or leave them on the kerb. Old windows (aluminium, wood, PVC) are classified as Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) and must be delivered to a licensed recycling facility.
Greek legislation (the CDW Ministerial Decision) requires proper management of construction waste. Within the Exoikonomo framework, the project completion file requires a Recycling Certificate as a supporting document. Without it, the file cannot be closed.
Old windows must be transported to a licensed Alternative Management System (AMS). There, the materials are separated: aluminium is melted and reused, glass is recycled separately, and remaining components (seals, hardware) are sorted accordingly.
Good news: you do not have to run to landfills yourself. This responsibility falls squarely on the contractor - the aluminium manufacturer who carried out the removal and installation.
The manufacturer who does the work removes the old windows, loads them on to their truck and transports them to the recycling unit. Transport and delivery to the AMS is their responsibility - not yours.
Your obligation is to request the Recycling Certificate from the manufacturer once the works are completed. This document goes into your programme file. If the contractor does not provide it, you have a problem!
This is the question almost everyone asks: "Don't these old aluminium frames have some value by weight? Can't I take them to a scrap yard and get a bit of money?"
No! If you are enrolled in Exoikonomo, you cannot sell the old windows to a scrap dealer. Scrap sales do not produce the Recycling Certificate you need for your file. If you sell (or "gift") the windows, you will be unable to close your file.
Old aluminium frames have scrap value (around €1–2/kg). In a home with many windows, 50–100 kg can accumulate. The €100–200 seems attractive, but you risk the entire subsidy (thousands of euros) for small change!
If your manufacturer says "I'll sell them for scrap and save you the hassle," then immediately ask for a guarantee that they will provide the recycling certificate. If they cannot, that contractor is not meeting the programme's obligations.
After the contractor delivers the old windows to the recycling unit, they receive an official document: the Receipt Confirmation / Recycling Certificate (the exact name may vary by AMS).
The certificate lists the type of waste (aluminium, glass, etc.), the weight delivered, the date of delivery and the details of the licensed facility. This document is placed in the Exoikonomo completion file as proof of proper disposal.
Ask for it before the works even begin! Make it a condition in your agreement with the contractor. State clearly: "Along with the invoices, I need the recycling certificate from a licensed AMS." If the contractor refuses or seems unprepared, consider an alternative.
Do not leave this to chance. The Exoikonomo file is rigorously audited. A missing recycling certificate can delay - or at worst - block the entire disbursement, leaving you waiting months until the issue is resolved.
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