Recycling options for types of waste materials

Approximately 275 million tonnes of aggregates are used each year in the United Kingdom as raw construction materials. Of this, around 70 million tonnes are already derived from recycled or secondary sources.

There is potential to recycle more aggregates from construction, demolition and excavation wastes that are currently being sent to landfill.

Standards in recycling aggregates

Published standards for aggregates describe how recycled and secondary aggregates can be used across a broad range of applications. The standards cover aggregates produced from natural, recycled and manufactured materials. It focuses on fitness for purpose and does not discriminate between different resources.

The quality protocol for the production of aggregates from inert waste deals with the production of aggregates from inert construction, demolition and excavation waste.

The protocol sets a benchmark for recycled aggregate production and for demonstrating the point at which a waste material is considered to be fully recovered and so no longer subject to waste regulations.