Event
Texas, USA
11 - 13 Jun
TACA 71st Annual Meeting
As the construction sector grapples with sustainability challenges, early adopters are beacons of change and seizing opportunities to serve new markets. Brewster Brothers, a resource management company based in Scotland, stands at the forefront of this movement, demonstrating a deep commitment to circular economy principles within the construction and demolition (C&D) waste recycling space.
Speaking with CDE at AGG1 Aggregates Academy and Expo, St. Louis, MO, Scott Brewster, Managing Director of Brewster Brothers, shared insights into the company's pioneering tactics and what the UK and European approach can offer in the journey towards a more sustainable aggregates industry across the globe.
"Sustainable construction recycling is at the heart of everything we do," Scott stated emphatically. "It's our raison d'être, our core focus. Unlike waste management businesses with recycling as a side division, or quarry operators with a recycling operation, we are purely focused on recycling, specifically recycled aggregates."
This singular focus has driven Brewster Brothers to position themselves ahead of the curve, investing in crucial tools like life cycle assessments and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for their products, demonstrating a transparent and data-driven approach to sustainability.
Circularity in Action: Capturing Value, Avoiding Landfill
For Brewster Brothers, the circular economy isn't just a buzzword; it's a fundamental operational principle. Drawing on Europe's well-established waste hierarchy, the company strives to "capture all the value from that waste stream before it ends up in landfill."
Recycling, positioned as a crucial middle rung in this hierarchy, is the core of their business. "We're trying to capture the value from that waste stream, recycle it into the circular economy, reintroduce it as a product of value, and yeah, just maximise the value and keep it within the economy and not to lose it into a hole in the ground," Brewster explained.
European Insights for the US market
Reflecting on the differing stages of sustainability adoption between Europe and the US, Brewster offered valuable takeaways. While acknowledging the "fascinating" natural evolution of sustainability driven by the US market, he highlighted the role of government intervention in accelerating progress in Europe.
"Key learnings from Europe would perhaps be that sometimes you do need government intervention to accelerate the process," Scott Brewster noted, citing taxes on virgin materials and landfill taxes as catalysts for market change. Now, with 20 years of such policies in place, the UK market has reached quite a mature stage, presenting a real opportunity for growth in regions like the United States.
The Heartbeat of the Operation
Central to Brewster Brothers' environmental achievements are their two CDE recycling wash plants, strategically located to service Edinburgh and Glasgow. "Our two CDE wash plants are really the heartbeat of our business. They're the core assets that everything else sort of circles around."
These plants are instrumental in processing excavation waste and producing high-quality recycled aggregate products for redistribution into the market. Beyond crushing operations on separate plants, the wash plants are the "heartbeat of our business that circulates the red blood cells," driving their circular economy model.
A Call to Action for Plant Operators
Scott offered practical advice for other plant operators considering a shift towards more sustainable operations, outlining three key perspectives:
Quarry Operators - Extend quarry life by recycling materials for lower-value applications, preserving high-grade natural deposits.
Waste Management Businesses - Utilise wash plants to clean and enhance the value of aggregate products derived from skip waste and material recovery facilities (MRFs).
Large-Scale Contractors - Explore the cost-saving potential of in-house recycling, turning disposal costs into valuable product streams.
From Waste to Value: Innovative Product Streams
Scott outlined the diverse range of recycled aggregate products produced, including various grades of gravel and sand, catering to applications from basic trench fill to concrete production and drainage stone.
Looking towards the future, Scott highlighted the exciting potential of their residual by-product: silt clay filter cake. Currently used for site restoration, Brewster Brothers is actively seeking innovation partners to develop value-added products from this significant material stream. This ambition reflects a wider industry trend, with many wash plant operators exploring ways to "value up the silt clay by-product and try to find added uses for it," aiming for "full circularity" and minimising waste disposal.
Scott concluded by emphasizing the significant tonnages of silt clay processed – up to 30% of incoming excavation waste – underscoring the importance of finding innovative applications to avoid landfill and maximise the value of this resource. Brewster Brothers' journey offers a compelling blueprint for a more sustainable and circular future for the construction and demolition waste recycling sector.
