Digging into the use of Recycled Aggregates in the Construction Industry
Recycled aggregates are the future of construction and are a viable option for many sites. By opting to use recycled aggregates, you’re giving materials a second life and avoiding more waste ending up in landfill, contributing to a circular economy. This is just one part of a larger shift in sustainable construction practices that is helping to transition the industry from a linear cycle to a circular one!
What are recycled aggregates?
Aggregates is a term to describe a material that is in a granular form. This includes sand, gravel, crushed stone, concrete, asphalt, brick and more.
Recycled aggregates are just as the name suggests – aggregates made up of leftover recycled materials! The construction industry today relies heavily on virgin aggregates that are extracted from natural materials. However, recycled aggregates are a much more sustainable alternative and can often have further benefits. As sustainability moves up in priority in the construction industry, more environmentally conscious sites are opting to use these secondhand materials instead.
Where do recycled aggregates come from?
As there are multiple different types of recycled aggregates, they are all derived from different processes. The virgin materials that they originate from are things like concrete, asphalt, brick and ceramics and then the leftover materials are the actual aggregates.
These leftovers are then collected from the site and crushed down into smaller sizes. By crushing it, it can then be repurposed and used again in further projects – this is the recycling part!
Types of recycled aggregates
The two most common types of recycled aggregates are recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) and recycled mixed aggregates (RMA).
Recycled Concrete Aggregates
- Made up of leftover concrete waste, RCA be used for a wide range of construction applications. As the name describes, this has a majority concrete makeup but can also contain small amounts of materials such as sand, gravel and stone.
Recycled Mixed Aggregates
- Made up of concrete, brick, asphalt and other construction debris, this is what is called a recycled mixed aggregate. The composition is less pure than RCA and this has an impact on the strength of it as a material. Despite it being less sturdy than RCA, it still has many uses and can be used in non-structural applications such as site development, backfill and road construction.
Benefits & limitations to using recycled aggregates in construction
Benefits:
- This seems like an obvious one, but using recycled materials are more sustainable to use. They minimise the amount of waste being sent to landfill, conserve natural resources and overall reduces the carbon footprint associated with production and transportation.
- Using recycled aggregates can also be more cost effective. The material itself can be procured at a reduced cost, and there is often reduced transportation costs involved as they are sourced locally.
Limitations:
- There is evidence to show that well-processed recycled aggregates can provide performance and strength that is comparable to virgin aggregates. However, this depends on the supplier and ensuring that they are reputable and can assure you of the aggregate’s durability.
- Some recycled aggregates can be weaker due to their mixed make-up. This means more rigorous testing must be done to check material durability and strength, or it should only be used for things where strength is not a priority.
These limitations are minimised when working with Reconomy Connect due to our network of incredible supplier partners, so you can be assured of the aggregate’s durability. We can provide your site with cost-effective, constant bulk delivery of aggregate products throughout its project lifetime.
The future of construction using recycled aggregates
Reconomy Connect is here for all your premium aggregate needs. With 30 years’ worth of experience delivering excellence to the construction sector, our expertise is in providing the best delivery of recycled aggregates that save you money and improve your site’s sustainability.
Using recycled aggregates focuses on recycling excess materials to prevent them being wasted and disposed of and instead creating a bulk aggregate delivery route for our customers. Working with Reconomy Connect can encourage their usage and put recycled aggregates to good use.
Get in touch today to see how Reconomy Connect can help you make that first step.