How to Recycle Your Old Concrete

We all understand the importance of recycling paper, plastic, cardboard, wood and even some types of metal, but believe it or not, concrete, which happens to be one of the most used materials in the construction industry, can also be recycled.

Therefore, we’ll be presenting you with some benefits to recycling your old concrete, as well has how to put it to good use.

The Benefits of Recycling Concrete

It helps the environment

Recycling your concrete will reduce construction waste generated by a project you’re working on, thus keeping landfill usage to a minimum. Concrete will never biodegrade, instead it’ll be around for hundreds of years, clogging up tips and landfill sites across the country.

There’s also the likelihood that your reconstituted concrete can be used to replace fresh aggregates, reducing the impact you have on the environment while carrying out your project.

It saves money

Costs can be reduced for subsequent projects if you reuse or recycle leftover concrete. You could even save money on transportation costs, as all recycling could be done on site as opposed to specialist recycling centres.

New cement mixed with recycled content performs better

Instead of mining rock and gravel, which can be water-intensive and tough on the land, to add to new cement mixes, recycled pieces of crushed concrete can be used instead. When new cement is mixed with recycled concrete material, it performs better than all-new cement. Recycled concrete is generally lighter, which also makes it less expensive to produce, haul and buy.

How is Concrete Recycled?

Concrete, with regards to recycling, comes under the ‘Construction and Demolition’ (or C&D) waste category. For decades, you were required to take construction waste solely to the local landfill. However, as more and more of it began to pile up, along with other materials such as wood, C&D waste was given its own, designated local landfill site, or recycling centre.

In order to recycle concrete, heavy-duty machinery must be used. The concrete will be crushed and impacted, then the pieces will be sorted and separated to distinguish between useful materials and dirt particles, eventually, coarse aggregate will be removed. If completely necessary, magnets, water flotation and high quality separators can be used to further rid the concrete of unwanted materials.

How Can I Recycle My Old Concrete?

There are many quick and easy ways in which concrete can be recycled, here are just a few ways:

• Old concrete can be used as paving for a walkway or path. Its porosity will allow water to seep through the gaps and into the soil that lie beneath.
• It can be crushed and turned into aggregates for use in new concrete mixes.
• Old concrete can be used as a base layer for new asphalt surfaces.
• When properly crushed, old concrete can be used as landscaping mulch, acting as a replacement for river rock or other gravels.
• Wire gabions could be filled with crushed concrete to create a contemporary, decorative and highly functional privacy screen or retaining wall.

Here at Concrete Drilling Services Ltd, we’re committed to ensuring great quality and excellent results for our customers. We endeavour to stay at the cutting edge of innovation, ensuring our cutting, demolition and our services are carried out in the most eco-friendly manner.

For more information about the products we sell or the services we provide, contact us today – our friendly, knowledgeable team are always happy to help.