CDE and Enva announce plans for major C&D recycling facility
Collaboration to deliver one of Ireland’s largest construction and demolition waste-recycling plants
TO advance the circular economy for soil and stone waste in Ireland, wet-processing specialists CDE and leading environmental services providers Enva have announced plans to develop a new 180 tonnes/h construction and demolition (C&D) waste wash plant in County Kildare.
The project follows Enva’s 2024 acquisition of Walshestown Restoration Ltd, a major soil recovery and restoration business focused on the sustainable treatment of soils and the recovery of sand, gravel, soil, and stone from recycled materials. The 100-acre Walshestown facility is licensed to accept 330,000 tonnes of C&D waste annually, predominantly consisting of soil and stone.
The new CDE-engineered plant, to be located at the Walshestown site near Naas, will process a wide range of brownfield construction, demolition, and excavation (CD&E) wastes. The recycling facility, which is expected to be operational in March 2026, will recover high-quality sand and aggregate products for use in construction and critical infrastructure projects across Ireland’s eastern region, supporting Enva’s commitment to resource recovery and the reduction of waste sent to landfill.
Garry Stewart, CDE’s business development manager, said: ‘This is a welcome step in the right direction, but there’s still a long road ahead. Our partnership with Enva demonstrates the role that private industry can play when it comes to addressing the waste burden and advancing the circular economy for the benefit of all. As regulations evolve, there are significant gains to be made for those businesses that recognise the strategic imperative of waste recycling for sustainable business growth.’
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Ireland generated an estimated 9 million tonnes of construction and demolition waste in 2023, an increase of more than 8% on the 8.3 million tonnes recorded in 2022. Soil, stones, and dredging spoil accounted for much of this material – around 7.3 million tonnes, or 81% of the total C&D waste stream.
Of all C&D waste produced in 2023, 75% was used for backfilling, 12% was disposed of, and 11% was recycled, highlighting the significant opportunity to increase recovery and reuse across the sector. In the decade leading up to 2023, construction and demolition waste in Ireland grew by 300%.
Richard Kennedy, managing director of Enva, said: ‘We’re proud to announce our partnership with CDE on the installation of our new, state-of-the-art sand and aggregates recycling plant. The largest of its kind in Ireland, this investment directly supports Enva’s sustainability goals and our broader commitment to providing circular economy solutions.
'It’s a vital step in delivering the sustainable solutions that modern developments now require, while conserving natural resources for future generations and avoiding waste to landfill.’
