Record aggregates recycling claimed

The UK’s aggregates industry has recycled a record tonnage of construction materials.

A report from the Mineral Products Association (MPA), which represents firms supplying over 90% of Britain’s aggregates, shows the total volume of recycled and secondary materials reached a record 73.5 million tonnes in 2022. Processing includes crushing, segregating (removing metals, plastics, etc), washing and screening, and blending to create materials that meet technical specifications.

Lack of data

The report shows that non-primary materials accounted for over 30% of the country’s total demand for aggregates (representing 241.8 million tonnes). Of this total, 60.3 million tonnes of recycled aggregates came from the recovery of construction, demolition and excavation wastes such as concrete and brick rubble, old rail track ballast and earthworks spoil. It also shows that 5.8 million tonnes of asphalt was processed for reuse in roads in 2022.

However, the MPA adds it is a challenge to track progress accurately because of an absence of comprehensive national statistics. A proposed mandatory UK-wide digital waste tracking system in 2025 should also help enhance the availability and quality of the data related to construction and demolition waste, it believes. 

Shortcomings

Primary aggregates (newly quarried or marine dredged) make up 70% of the country’s aggregate demand and the MPA is concerned that shortcomings in the planning and permitting system mean replenishment rates for such materials is at an all-time low.

Mark Russell, the MPA’s director for planning and mineral resources, says its members have become proficient in recovering materials. ‘The most efficient way to process and reuse these materials is close to where they are sourced to minimise transport, and the bureaucracy of the planning and permitting system is often a barrier to delivering the most efficient solutions.

‘That said, there are major investments taking place to improve the quality and availability of recycled and secondary materials, giving developers and contractors the confidence to specify them.’

Success story

Reportauthor Aurelie Delannoy, director of economic affairs at MPA, said the contribution of recycled and secondary aggregates to total supply was a ‘huge but largely hidden success story’ for the industry.

‘Further progress in recycling can be anticipated, supported by the major investments that have recently taken place in the extractive sector. However, it is important to recognise that the availability of recycled aggregates is inherently tied to demolition activity and the availability of suitable waste materials.’