Recycled glass used in 1 million blocks
Scottish builders are being helped to meet their environmental targets through the collaboration of two companies in Bonnyrigg, near Edinburgh. In just 18 months approximately 1 million breeze blocks have been produced by Brand and Rae using recycled glass from their neighbouring Viridor plant to replace some of the sand that would otherwise have been used.
Significantly, this has helped a number of builders to satisfy local authorities’ requirements for construction projects to use 10% recycled materials, as required by the Scottish Parliament.
The crushed glass from Viridor’s Bonnyrigg facility not only resembles coarse sand, but the chemical composition is the same as that of the silica sand primary aggregate that it replaces. Moreover, there is no difference in appearance between conventional blocks and those incorporating the glass recyclate, and they are equally suitable for use in housing and commercial premises.
At present, the crushed glass replaces some 30% of the primary aggregate content of the blocks. This helps to provide better weather resistance and delivers modest cost savings and a slight saving in the amount of concrete needed, compared with conventional blocks.
Gary Bell, managing director of Brand and Rae, said: ‘We have been taking recycled glass aggregate from Viridor for two years. Having made a million blocks with it, we can confirm that it is an excellent material for our purpose and we would certainly be pleased to increase our tonnage in future.’
Significantly, this has helped a number of builders to satisfy local authorities’ requirements for construction projects to use 10% recycled materials, as required by the Scottish Parliament.
The crushed glass from Viridor’s Bonnyrigg facility not only resembles coarse sand, but the chemical composition is the same as that of the silica sand primary aggregate that it replaces. Moreover, there is no difference in appearance between conventional blocks and those incorporating the glass recyclate, and they are equally suitable for use in housing and commercial premises.
At present, the crushed glass replaces some 30% of the primary aggregate content of the blocks. This helps to provide better weather resistance and delivers modest cost savings and a slight saving in the amount of concrete needed, compared with conventional blocks.
Gary Bell, managing director of Brand and Rae, said: ‘We have been taking recycled glass aggregate from Viridor for two years. Having made a million blocks with it, we can confirm that it is an excellent material for our purpose and we would certainly be pleased to increase our tonnage in future.’
