New Guidance Documents Enable Greater use of Recycled Aggregates in SME Sector

This publication comes in direct response to the findings of a previous WRAP project that identified barriers to the use of recycled aggregates among construction sector SMEs.

John Barritt, Technical Advisor for Aggregates at WRAP, said: “There are a large number of SMEs operating in the construction sector who could play a major role in helping achieve greater materials resource efficiency through the use of recycled aggregates. Our previous study found evidence of a general misconception within SME contractors that recycled aggregates could not be used on major projects for public and private sector clients. We also found that contractors and specifiers lacked the confidence to suggest the use of sustainable aggregates or to persuade their clients to use recycled aggregates on their projects. Our original research has given us a good understanding of the barriers that exist and has enabled us to develop material specifically designed to overcome them.”

The guidance material is produced in two parts – the first reflects the needs and concerns of construction SME contractors while the second is aimed at clients and specifiers.  Both documents respond to the findings of the earlier WRAP project and contain helpful guidance in an accessible format.

The guidance material also reinforces the message that recycled aggregates are widely available and, when produced under a quality control system, can be used for most applications. Low quality materials are more frequently used for low value applications while opportunities for higher value recycling are lost. The importance of sourcing material from organisations that have used the WRAP Quality Protocol to produce high quality aggregates is also emphasised.

The material has been produced by Dr Murray Reid and Dan Rapson from the Centre for Sustainability (C4S) at TRL, who have recently completed similar work for a UK local authority in the South East.

Dr Reid said: “The benefits to the environment and to businesses of recycled aggregates are becoming better understood by many of the larger contractors but there is still work to be done to get the message out to SMEs.  The material we have produced aims to allay any fears over recycled aggregates and demonstrate their possibilities, while re-enforcing the message that recycled aggregates are an important component in the improvement of sustainability in the construction sector.”

Copies of the material can be downloaded from WRAP’s AggRegain website www.aggregain.org.uk. To order a hard copy, contact the WRAP construction team on 0808 100 2040.