Aggregate Industries launch carbon-neutral Foamix Eco

Company launches most sustainable and lowest-carbon asphalt construction material to date

AGGREGATE Industries have launched Foamix Eco, a ground-breaking, on-site asphalt material that can achieve carbon-neutral status. The revolutionary carbon-neutral solution is yet another contribution towards Aggregate Industries’ ambitious commitment to reduce their overall carbon emissions by 2050 and also supports the National Highways target of delivering net-zero construction by 2040.

The new Eco product builds on the success of Aggregate Industries’ current Foamix solution, which already delivers a low embodied carbon footprint. The company’s existing Foamix asphalt underwent extensive R&D development, which required close collaborative working between biogenic bitumen suppliers Nynas and carbon negative aggregate suppliers OCO Technology.

This innovative working partnership allowed for the development of Foamix Eco. The  cost-effective, high-quality solution incorporates a high percentage of recycled materials, which is not only less reliant on virgin material, helping achieve a circular economy, but also requires less energy in production due to its cold-lay manufacturing process.

The achievement aligns with the commitment to increase the use of RAP by 60% in asphalt products as part of Aggregate Industries’ overall drive to achieve net zero before 2050.

Foamix Eco can be manufactured and laid where construction is taking place using Aggregate Industries’ Sitebatch Technologies or OCL Regeneration mobile mixing plants, meaning the team can re-process locally sourced planings from the existing road asset – either on site or at a nearby location – ensuring it can be placed, compacted, and put into immediate use.

This significantly minimizes HGV movements across the local road network, construction times, and user disruption, and delivers a significantly lower scheme carbon footprint. Moreover, Foamix Eco can be laid in a single lift up to 150mm thick using conventional surfacing equipment and laying techniques and does not require any additional specialist labour.

In addition, when using on-site recycling and working closely with their supply chain, Aggregate Industries can achieve carbon neutrality across stages A1 to A5 in the building life cycle, representing a huge step forward for the industry incorporating both the product and construction stages.

Thomas Edgcumbe, managing director of Surfacing Solutions at Aggregate Industries, said: ‘After rigorous research and development, coupled with live manufacturing and installation trials in partnership with Lancashire County Council, the new carbon neutral Foamix Eco is the most sustainable and lowest-carbon asphalt construction material to date, and we are delighted to be launching it to market.

‘This new addition to our asphalt offering demonstrates our steadfast commitment to leading the construction industry towards a more sustainable and eco-conscious future.’

Foamix Eco has already been used as part of a trial on an M65 slip road in Lancashire in partnership with Lancashire County Council. The outcome was a high-quality solution which recycled the existing carriageway. Foamix Eco projects will continue to be reviewed on an individual basis to ensure a carbon-neutral product can be achieved.

Paul Binks, highways asset manager with Lancashire County Council, said: ‘We're proud to partner with Aggregate Industries to help us reduce the carbon footprint across our road network. Working with a supply chain that takes a proactive approach to develop products and solutions is imperative for local authorities to reach our net-zero targets. Foamix Eco is a great demonstration of this.’

Aggregate Industries say this evolution in cold-lay asphalt is set to revolutionize the way construction projects are carried out, allowing a more sustainable approach while maintaining high-quality standards and cost-effectiveness. They add that by adopting carbon-neutral Foamix Eco, construction companies and local authorities can actively contribute to a greener future while meeting their infrastructure needs.