Did you know that the construction industry in the UK is responsible for producing 70 million tonnes of construction and demolition waste each year? Around 90% of this is then recycled as building materials for roads and land, preventing a large proportion of concrete from ending up in landfills and providing high-quality recycled material for construction projects across the UK.
Recycled aggregates are often a valuable source for soil cement, fresh concrete and granular subbases perfect for any construction project, with recycled aggregate used in roads, pavements and countless other uses. It can even be created from demolished buildings, to build new ones due to their adaptable nature and reforming flexibility.
What is recycled aggregate?
Recycled aggregate is the product of repurposing materials that were originally used in construction by reprocessing them for new uses. Recycling aggregate starts with removing the concrete to break it down in preparation for crushing it into new materials.
Many industries are reconsidering their green efforts, and with such high expectations for businesses to improve their sustainability, recycling concrete for sustainable construction is the main focus for cost-effective, environmentally friendly construction work.
The benefits of recycling concrete for sustainable construction
Whether paired with new aggregates or created from sub-base materials, recycled concrete comes with many benefits.
The environmental impact
Utilising recycled aggregate can lower carbon footprint, limit dangerous emissions and reduce construction costs. Recycled concrete limits the need for mining, a process that widely impacts the environment. The landfill has also become more restrictive in recent years, preventing people from disposing of particular materials and regulating one of the biggest space consumers. Recycling concrete prevents landfills from overflowing and reusing it has its uses.
Lower costs, same high-quality materials
Recycled aggregate may be much lower in cost, but it doesn’t mean you should worry about the quality. It will present the same high-quality standards as the brand-new aggregate. Quality is still the main focus while saving a substantial amount of money.
Variety of options
Recycled aggregate is not limited to its uses. There are plenty of opportunities to use it in many projects, such as road construction, fill for foundations or drainage projects, and general bulk fills on pavements and more.
Sustainable impact
Sustainability aims to minimise environmental influence and the impact of economic costs to reach a desired social performance. It is no longer a dream to be ‘green’, and with BS EN 15643-1: 2010 – Sustainability of construction works as the building standard, sustainability is now at the forefront as a well-documented process for construction companies to follow.
Recycling even a small amount of concrete is sustainable as it reduces usage of landfills and the need for new aggregate.
How K&B Crushers can help
At K&B Crushers, we recycle all of our aggregates. Recycled aggregates are cheaper, more sustainable and a more environmentally friendly alternative to newly extracted quarry materials. Recycling materials, in this way, reduce the burden that primary aggregate quarrying has on the planet – a problem that we must address to ensure a sustainable future.
From our base at Southampton Docks, Gate 20, we crush and sort materials. We accept and source materials from across the country, offering nationwide site clearance, foundation removal, backfilling, compacting services and more. Get in touch to learn more about sustainable construction.
