Yorwaste launch new ‘landfill-saving’ building product

Waste-management firm targets construction industry with a recycled alternative to quarried sand

BRADFORD-based Yorwaste have launched a new ‘glass-sand’ product as a recycled alternative to virgin quarried sand. The company has recently been using a specialist crusher to recycle glass at its resource recovery centre in Seamer Carr, near Scarborough. The coarse glass-sand – which has been produced to meet industry standards – is suitable for a variety of applications, including asphalt, concrete block and block paving. 

Chris Tomlinson, senior operations manager for Yorwaste, said: ‘Last year, we invested £300,000 in state-of-the-art glass separation equipment which helped us to meet the demand for high-quality recycled glass. Any of the sorted glass that is over 12mm is sent back for re-melting, but we had to find different markets for the glass, which was under 12mm, to ensure it did not go to landfill.

‘We have been trialling new equipment that crushes the remaining glass into sand which can be sold and re-used in a number of different ways. This not only ensures we are recycling more waste, but it also conserves natural resources as the glass product is used as a recycled alternative to virgin quarried sand.’

High on Yorwaste’s agenda is to provide safe, environmentally sound, competitive waste-management solutions to their customers and the company believes its new recycled glass product will be attractive to construction firms keen to minimize their impact on the environment.