recycled aggregate uk volumes hit record high

The amount of construction aggregates from recycled and secondary sources in Britain has reached an all-time high as producers invest in more advanced ways to turn ‘waste’ into valuable materials. 

That’s one of the critical findings of a new report from the Mineral Products Association (MPA)—which represents firms supplying over 90% of Britain’s aggregates—showing that the total volume of recycled and secondary materials reached a record 73.5 million tonnes in 2022.  

Total aggregates supply (million tonnes) in Great Britain, 2022

The data unequivocally demonstrates that recycling rates in Britain outpace those of any other major European economy. This is a clear indication of the industry’s unwavering commitment to resource recovery and efficient reuse, which aligns perfectly with circular economy principles. The industry’s processes, including crushing, segregating, washing, screening, and blending, are all geared towards creating materials that meet the highest technical specifications, further reassuring policymakers and environmental organisations of our sustainability efforts.

 

The report highlights that non-primary materials accounted for over 30% of the country’s total demand for aggregates (which stood at 241.8 million tonnes in 2022, the biggest flow of materials in the economy) and that 60.3 million tonnes of recycled aggregates came from the recovery of construction, demolition, and excavation wastes (CDEW), such as concrete and brick rubble, old rail track ballast, and earthworks spoil. It also shows that 5.8 million tonnes of asphalt planings were processed for reuse on roads in 2022.

 

These findings clearly demonstrate the industry’s shift in mindset and the emergence of a circular economy where everyone can benefit from building more for less.