Recent news of the UK’s plans to ban biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) from landfills by 2028, and Scotland’s proactive approach with a stricter deadline of 31 December 2025, is encouraging significant steps to reduce waste and meet net-zero carbon goals.
These bans are part of the ongoing efforts to transition towards a more circular economy, where resources are repurposed more efficiently and waste is dramatically reduced. This shift is increasingly critical as municipal solid waste generation is predicted to almost double between now and 2050, according to the Global Waste Management Outlook 2024 | UNEP - UN Environment Programme.
At the same time, carbon taxation and rising costs of traditional materials are placing growing financial pressure on the construction sector to accelerate its transition to low carbon solutions.
In line with these changes, our solution helps divert incinerator bottom ash aggregate (IBAA) from landfills, transforming it into a sustainable, high-value material that forms the base of our lower carbon R8Mix concrete. By giving waste a new life in construction we help to reduce both landfill volumes and the carbon footprint of projects. To date we have successfully repurposed the ash from 1000 tonnes of waste, the equivalent of 3,629 wheelie bins, into valuable R8Mix that has been used across industrial, marine and residential projects.
Wherever possible we re-use local IBAA for our construction projects maximising the benefits of the Circular Economy approach. For example, the IBAA used in our Port of Ardersier and Aurora projects came from waste produced in the Highlands of Scotland.
With growing pressure on the industry to transition to sustainable practices, R8Mix offers a more sustainable concrete solution with a significantly lower carbon footprint than traditional concrete, supporting the drive towards a more Circular Economy.
Building momentum
The UK has already made significant commitments to achieving the aim of Net Zero emissions by 2050, under the Climate Change Act 2008. This commitment spans all sectors, with the construction industry (which currently account for 25% of total UK emissions), playing a critical role in reducing CO2 emissions.
The construction industry is therefore under growing pressure to reduce carbon emissions, improve efficiency and drive innovation. Recent years have seen a marked trend towards using low carbon materials including the use of recycled materials or cement formations that have lower embodied carbon. The ongoing push towards reaching Net Zero has spurred a wave of innovation across the industry including our own development of the innovative R8Mix binder.
Our solution
The construction sector is being encouraged to embrace a Circular Economy model, where materials are reused, repurposed or recycled to reduce waste and minimise reliance on virgin quarried resources.
Energy from Waste (EfW) facilities are already doing their bit to help improve the environment by turning waste into energy. Our R8Mix goes a step further by transforming IBAA into a raw material for concrete, reducing the use of virgin quarried aggregates, and reducing the volume of cement needed, while simultaneously maintaining structural strength requirements. Not only does this support the drive to reduce embodied CO2 in concrete, but also helps the EfW sector to divert even more waste from landfill.
The benefits of R8Mix
R8Mix has a number of benefits which span across three different areas: environment, cost and product/market.
Environmental benefits include:
- Lower environmental impact
- Encourages a Circular Economy
- Less mineral extraction
Cost benefits include:
- Avoids landfill gate fees
- More cost-effective than virgin aggregates
Product/market benefits include:
- Aligned with UK Government legislations of sustainability and Circular Economy
- Meets BS 8500 standards
- Enables companies to stay ahead of upcoming waste legislation
The success of reducing carbon emissions in construction is crucial for the UK to meet the overall Net Zero goals by 2050. By addressing key challenges such as carbon taxation and the rising cost of traditional materials, the R8Mix offers a clear and compelling solution, supporting customers to reduce costs, align with government policies, and invest in a more sustainable future.
To find out more about what we do here at Recycl8, click here: https://www.r8iba.com/case-studies/ or get in touch through info@r8iba.com.