Can Concrete Be Recycled?

Posted on 4th June 2019 by Ever Readymix Concrete

It may be surprising to learn that when a building is demolished, the concrete can be recycled, which helps save lots of money that could later be used in the transportation of the concrete to the construction site or disposal. But how much concrete is actually recycled, and what happens in the process of concrete recycling?    

Key Concrete Recycling Stats

In the UK, around 295 million tonnes of virgin material is used every year, while 22 million tonnes of by-products from industries are displaced, which in turn produces 150 million tonnes per year of construction and demolition waste. From all of these many tonnes, 46 million tonnes is recycled and used for building, road construction and land reclamation, reducing the need for brand new materials to be used in construction. All of this has a big environmental benefit by conserving both energy and resources.

How is Concrete recycled?

Several factors have made recycling easy and affordable. The first being the introduction of equipment that can be used to break any concrete pavements, the second being the introduction of methods used in the removal of steel, which reduces labour time and costs. The last factor is the use of equipment that can withstand any steel reinforcement.

To recycle concrete, machines that are designed to work in construction sites are required. The concrete is reduced in size, and then screening is carried out to separate the concrete from particles and dirt. However, before choosing the suitable equipment, several factors must be considered, which include; whether you have a system that can separate steel from concrete if you have separate hydraulic stands, and the different methods used for separation. They should either be manual, automatic or remote.

Recycled concrete can also be used as an aggregate in new cement. When used, it is combined with virgin aggregate. The recycled concrete is mostly used in the sub-base layer as aggregate, and it can either be granular or bound depending on the strength requirements of the base.

What is the importance of recycling concrete?

Concrete recycling is important because of the following reasons:

1. It reduces transportation cost, as well as landfill cost
2. The waste from the construction site is reduced, which can be achieved without interfering with the quality of your work
3. The recycled concrete is not only used for construction, but it is also used to reduce the amount of runoff water since it is used in driveways and walkways
4. When it comes to environmental benefits, recycling concrete saves energy and resources when compared to mining new resources, and also can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released and water used

 

Conclusion

When concrete is recycled, it saves an individual a lot of money, and the waste materials are reduced because almost everything is recycled. Recycling concrete is very common these days because there machines that make it a very easy process. Concrete recycling should be adopted even more widely and frequently if we’re to make a real difference to the planet and the industry.

Here at Ever Readymix, we are the leading independent concrete supplier for Barnsley, Goole, Sandtoft and the Yorkshire region. We’re dedicated to the quick, convenient supply of ready-mix concrete, offering competitive prices and same day delivery for our customers. To discover how we can help your project, simply contact our friendly team today.