Displaying items by tag: construction and demolition materials

UK: Switzerland-based Neustark has partnered with Holcim subsidiary Aggregate Industries to launch the UK’s first mineralisation plant in Greenwich, London. The small-scale mobile plant will sequester CO₂ in recycled concrete produced using fines recovered from construction and demolition materials (CDM). The plant is situated at an existing Aggregates Industries CDM recycling site. A large-scale plant with a sequestration capacity of 1000t/yr of CO₂ is due to follow in early 2025.

Neustark CEO Valentin Gutknecht said "Neustark and Holcim have been working together almost since the founding of Neustark five years ago. 1Mt of CO₂ durably removed from the atmosphere in 2030 – that’s our ambition. We’re already well underway towards the megatonne goal. Our strategic partnership with Holcim represents a significant part of this roadmap. It will be a true catalyst to further scale up the permanent carbon removal impact that we generate in the next few years.”

Aggregate Industries CEO Lee Sleight said that the partnership would turn London into ‘one of the world’s largest urban mines.’ He said “This isn’t just a great carbon removal innovation but a great circular economy innovation, where we are taking what was once a waste stream and reusing it, saving us from digging up virgin materials in the first place."

Neustark has so far sequestered 2500t of CO₂ in circular concrete for use in further construction.

US: A study by Resource Recycling Systems found that 33% of construction and demolition materials (CDM) entering landfill in Summit County, Colorado, could be effectively diverted into CDM recycling. Concrete and aggregates were among the 11 materials included in the study. Local press has reported that county authorities aim to reuse or recycle 25% of CDM generated locally by 2028, and 50% by 2035. Landfill capacity will run out in 2078.

CDM constituted 30% of Summit County’s landfill intake during the study period.

Germany: Cemex has acquired a majority stake in the Berlin-based recycling company RC-Baustoffe to enhance its circularity business Regenera. The company processes construction, demolition and excavation materials. The acquisition integrates RC-Baustoffe with Regenera, allowing the facility to process up to 400,000t/yr, which will be turned into repurposed aggregates for concrete production.

CEO of Cemex, Fernando González, said “With acquisitions such as this, Cemex continues to strengthen its commitment to circularity through Regenera as well as promoting the world’s transition to a more circular economy. Construction and demolition materials account for more than 30% of global ‘waste’ streams and reintegrating these materials into the construction value chain can reduce the use of virgin raw materials."

Poland: Heidelberg Materials has inaugurated its new construction and demolition materials (CDM) recycling plant at Katowice, Silesia. The plant will use a patented crusher to separate and sort 100t/hr of CDM. It will then recycle the materials in new concrete using its ReConcrete circular concrete production technology.

Chief sustainability officer Nicola Kimm said "Thanks to our strong commitment to continuous innovation, we are now introducing a revolutionary and commercially viable technology combining circularity with decarbonisation on our path to net zero. Innovations like this help to accelerate our transformation and highlight our ambition of closing the loop offering circular alternatives for 50% of our concrete products by 2030.”

New Zealand: Recycling company Central Environmental has secured a US$972,000 grant from the Ministry for the Environment. Local press has reported that the grant will go towards a US$2.43m expansion of its construction and demolition materials recycling operations. The company says that this will allow it to expand its footprint across southern and central North Island.

Managing director Ian Butcher said that the company has diverted 60 – 70% of parent company Central Demolition’s waste from landfill. It processes 80,000t/yr of concrete into materials for roadbuilding.

Switzerland: Holcim has acquired recycling, ready-mix concrete and aggregates company Cand-Landi Group. The company employs 250 people across its operations in Western Switzerland. Holcim plans for Cand-Landi Group to supply alternative raw materials and fuels for use at its Eclépens plant. It says that the acquisition will increase its recycling capacity of construction and demolition materials by 100,000t/yr.

Holcim CEO Miljan Gutovic said "The acquisition of the Cand-Landi Group will advance decarbonisation and circularity in Switzerland, a lighthouse market for innovation at Holcim. I look forward to welcoming all 250 employees of the Cand-Landi Group and investing in our next chapter of growth together."

Mexico: The government commissioned the 500t/day San Lorenzo-Tláhuac demolition materials recycling plant in Mexico City on 6 June 2024. The US$2.18m plant will produce 600m³/day of concrete, as well as concrete blocks at a rate of 2000/day. It will receive demolition materials from the Xochimilco Lagoon, where 14Mm³ was deposited following the 1985 Mexican City earthquake, as well as from current job sites in Mexico City.

Secretary of Works Jesús Esteva Medina noted that the San Lorenzo-Tláhuac plant is the first in public ownership, operating alongside privately-owned plants at Bordo Poniente and Miguel Hidalgo.

UK: Holcim has completed its acquisition of rail ballast recycling specialist Land Recovery. Land Recovery produces raw materials for use in ready-mix concrete, precast concrete and other building materials from recycled rail ballast. Holcim says that the acquisition advances its own aim of recycling 10Mt of construction-demolition materials (CDM) in 2024. In 2023, Land Recovery recycled 300,000t of CDM. It employs 85 people across the UK.

Colombia: Cemex Colombia has announced the launch of its 40% reduced CO₂ Vertua mortar.

The company said "Vertua aims to enable builders to adapt the sustainable features of their projects through its five specific and measurable attributes: lower carbon emissions, energy efficiency, water conservation, recycled materials and design optimisation."

UK: Heidelberg Materials UK has opened a new circular materials hub at its Appleford depot in Oxfordshire. The site will recycle construction waste for use in low-CO₂ building materials. The move advances the company’s strategy to conserve natural materials and support the circular economy.

Recycling managing director James Whitelaw said “Recycling, reusing and reducing the use of primary raw materials is crucial to reaching net zero. Our network of recycling hubs will allow us to provide the most sustainable products to our customers through circularity and innovation to enable building more with less.”