Grundon take a stake in Carbon8

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World’s first Air Pollution Control residues (APCr) recycling and carbon-capture plant nears completion

GRUNDON Waste Management have taken a significant shareholding in Carbon8 Aggregates Ltd, a company using an innovative patented process called Accelerated Carbonation Technology to provide a rapid, cost-effective solution for the treatment of soils and waste materials.
 


The Environment Agency Modernising Waste Panel has confirmed that the output from the process meets the End of Waste criteria, which means it can be used as an aggregate product, for example in block making. Facilities using this technology are now being developed across the country, generating a secondary aggregate – which is carbon negative – to replace land- and sea-won materials.
 


Grundon’s managing director, Richard Skehens, said: ‘Although the volumes of hazardous waste in the UK are generally declining in volume, the increase in energy from waste facilities will generate a corresponding increase in the volumes of Air Pollution Control residues (APCr).

‘Ever-tightening environmental regulations and standards for hazardous waste disposal mean that tailor-made new technologies offer significant opportunities in this market place. The Carbon8 business has huge potential for this sector and complements Grundon’s existing range of hazardous waste-treatment facilities.’
 


Expressing his delight at welcoming Grundon on board, Mark Orsbourn, managing director of Carbon8, said: ‘The Accelerated Carbon Technology has been developed over many years by Dr Colin Hills and Dr Paula Carey (pictured), and the Environment Agency has acted as a rigorous, independent auditor through the provision of environmental position statements for the trials, which led to the submission to the End of Waste panel.   
 


‘We are currently commissioning our first plant in Brandon, Suffolk. This will use carbon dioxide to treat APCr and produce a recycled aggregate primarily for use in the block-making industry – although it has many other potential applications. We have clearly demonstrated that APCr can be recycled, changing the landscape within the waste hierarchy. Our strategy moving forward is to provide a national network of such facilities.’
 


Dr Carey added: ‘After many years of research, it is fantastic to see all our hard work come to fruition. Permanent capture of carbon dioxide – using an innovative UK technology – is even more compelling when it can be used to provide a sustainable waste-management solution. The work does not stop here, however, as the next phase is to capture carbon dioxide from the flue-stack source to produce an even lighter aggregate.’