According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the building and construction sector is by far the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, accounting for 37% of global emissions. 

With this in mind, it’s vital that the sector does all it can to improve its green credentials, reduce emissions and minimise waste. 

One of the best ways to make a step towards reducing the environmental impact of the sector is to recycle materials – including those used for surfacing and resurfacing roads. 

As a valued part of Breedon Group, we’re dedicated to sustainability, recycling and environmental responsibility and have even been awarded for our green strategies.  

What are the benefits of recycling construction materials?

By recycling construction materials, including those used for roads, we can reduce the overall carbon footprint of the industry and prevent hundreds of thousands of tonnes of material from going to landfill. 

Not only this, but it can also improve resource efficiency and lower costs, as using reclaimed or recycled building materials is often more economical than buying new materials. 

At Minster, we recycle around 45,000 tonnes of material each year – this includes 20,000 tonnes of our cold lay surfacing mixture, Foambase, and 25,000 tonnes of recycled road planings. We also recycle large volumes of other construction materials like concrete, as well as using cutting-edge technology to reduce waste. 

We utilise an on-site closed loop manufacturing process developed by OCL Regeneration and have a mobile recycling plant which produces CBGM (cement-bound granular material) and Foambase, which are high quality alternatives to hot asphalt. We can also produce binder course products made using the material we’ve removed from old roads. 

As a result of our green efforts, we’ve calculated that we save at least 476 tonnes of CO2e per year – the same amount of CO2 produced by 466 flights from London to New York. 

What are recycled construction materials used for?

At Minster, we use our recycled materials to produce farm tracks, industrial yards and car parks which are 100% recycled. It can also be used to create the sub-base, base and binder course layers of new roads. 

Through the use of Foambase technology, we can create a foamed bitumen product made from recycled material including asphalt, concrete and rubble. This technology can even be used to safely recycle material containing coal tar, which is deemed hazardous if not handled and used correctly. 

Foambase is a durable, long-lasting Type 1 material, meaning it’s perfectly suited to the sub-base layer of roads. It’s manufactured to specification for Highway Works (SHW) CL,948 and British Standards BS9228.

In comparison to using conventional hot asphalt, the production of Foambase produces 30% less CO2 and we can also recycle it again, giving the material a huge lifespan. This means there’s a massive carbon saving every time Foambase is used instead of hot asphalt – around 50% according to OCL Regeneration.

We also recycle road planings that have been extracted from old road surfaces we replace, crushing and screening them to make a Type 5 material for grading and composition.

We use recycled planings to produce a range of products, including CBGM, which is perfect for heavy-duty paving that is both affordable and sustainable.

If you’re looking for ways to make the road surfacing in your construction project more sustainable, we can help. Contact our team today to see how we can offer you a sustainable, cost effective and efficient solution.