Concrete sector body MPA UK Concrete has launched a Circular Economy Action Plan, which it says is a first for a major structural construction material.

The plan sets out how the industry will “support the retention of the value of concrete throughout its lifecycle” and “work with the wider built environment industry to accelerate a more circular economy”.

This partnership work aims to include developers, contractors, demolition specialists, regulators and politicians.

The plan also includes wider climate change tackling action by UK concrete and cement manufacturing.

By 2023, more than half of fuel used by the cement sector came from waste material, including refuse-derived fuels from non-recyclable household and business waste that would otherwise require disposal.

Another aim of the plan is to help remove barriers to material recovery “and keep concrete in use at its highest value for longer”.

The action plan aims to build on work carried out over the last decade. By 2023 manufacturing waste sent to landfill had been reduced to 0.3kg per tonne of production, ahead of a zero waste aim by 2030.

“Concrete is already central to the UK’s circular economy - not only because it is durable, locally available and recyclable, but because the cement and concrete sector makes productive use of materials that would otherwise become waste,” said Andrea Charlson, head of sustainability for UK Concrete and The Concrete Centre.

“This plan is about turning that existing strength into a clearer framework for action. The sector has reduced waste sent to landfill to extremely low levels and is now introducing new measures on recyclable packaging, takeback schemes and support to reduce surplus concrete on site. But circularity cannot be delivered by manufacturers alone.

“If we are to keep concrete in use at its highest value for longer, we need designers, contractors, demolition specialists, clients, regulators and policymakers to work with us. The biggest gains will come from decisions made across the whole lifecycle — from design and specification through to recovery and reuse.”

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