Event
Hamilton, New Zealand
09 - 11 Jul
Quarry NZ Conference 2025
Challenge Becomes Opportunity
With strict regulations on waste products that can be sent to landfill, there is a pressing need for turning gully waste and road sweeping waste into an opportunity.
Under European landfill regulations, liquid waste, in which road sweepings contains 10% water or liquid content, can no longer be sent to landfill. In turn, this presents a challenge for how this waste can be disposed of.
But for PMG this challenge became an opportunity. Over ten years ago the Bristol-based firm purchased a waste recycling plant from CDE which processed waste at a rate of 10 tonnes per hour (tph).
As their operation grew, so did the industry’s need for more recycled sand and aggregate products.
According to the Mineral Products Association, the market share of recycled aggregates is three times higher in the UK than the European average[1], highlighting the increasing importance of repurposing waste.
With this in mind, PMG has invested in a new waste recycling facility, which is over double the capacity of the first plant.
Closing the loop on waste
The 25tph solution at Severn Beach is part of PMG’s zero to landfill movement and is setting the firm up for future growth goals, says Clare McGuinness, Managing Director of PMG.
“We’re on a journey to process even more waste across the South West of England. Our vision is to keep growing the waste processing capability at PMG and be able to divert more valuable material from landfill.
“We’re a family run business with over 35 years of experience, and in that time there has been a lot of change and investment, including moving to a new bespoke facility this year outside Bristol. This has given us the opportunity to design a site that works specifically for our unique operation.”
Continuing, Clare explains that having already worked together with CDE on the previous installation on Albert Road that this facilitated better understanding of the technology.
“During the early stages of this investment, we were able to ensure the design and layout was suited specifically to our operation. As we were doubling the size of the operation, we wanted to consider wider yard operations and traffic flow around the site, so we visited a few reference sites across the UK to get a better understanding.
“Due to the nature of the materials, it can be difficult to process the types of waste we’re working with, so with the new design we were able to prioritise access for maintenance to ensure that the operation of the plant is easier, and so that we can continue to optimise the solution going forward.”
Repurposing waste for value
The solution, designed and engineered by CDE, comprises of an R1500, one of CDE’s R-Series primary scalping screens, an AggMax™ scrubbing and classification system, an EvoWashTM sand washing system and an AquaCycle™ high-rate thickener and static screen.
When the tanker or road sweeper arrives on-site, it lets the water out of the body into the pit, with any solids or light weight organics removed, and the remaining liquid contents are pumped to the AggMax.
Once the truck has released the liquid, it will then discharge all the solid waste such as road sweepings. This waste is then loaded into the R1500 where oversize material will begin to be processed. Anything under 80 millimetres will continue on to the AggMax, which is eventually passed to the EvoWash.
All material that’s in the liquid that can’t be taken out through solid removal goes to water treatment, and any sludge is sent to a centrifuge where the silt is removed to ensure process efficiency.
The water gets returned to the system for further processing through the AquaCycle which recycles up to 90% of the process water for immediate re-use in the system.
Quality production for the local industry
The solution is allowing PMG to produce two products, an 5-25mm aggregate and a 0-5mm sand product for use in Bristol’s construction market.
The recycled aggregates are mainly being used for use in earthworks but meet the specification for highway works, pipe bedding and cable laying, and the sand is used for paving stones.
Clare adds that this is not only supporting sustainability objectives but also creating new revenue streams to support the local economy.
Fergal Campbell, UK key Accounts Manager for CDE says, “PMG’s commitment to recovering and repurposing material is second-to-none. Over the year’s we’ve seen the ambition in the team grow, and how sustainability really is at the heart of every decision they make.
“This type of material is challenging and costly to dispose of, but PMG identified the opportunity in this space over a decade ago, and since then they’ve continued to push boundaries and invest in the right technology to divert even more material from landfill.
“With depletion of virgin materials across the world, there’s a greater need now more than ever to turn today’s waste into tomorrow’s resource, and we will continue to champion the vital service that PMG is providing for the local industry.”
[1] https://www.mineralproducts.org/Mineral-Products/Aggregates/Recycled-and-Secondary-Aggregates.aspx#:~:text=An%20essential%20contribution%20to%20the,contribution%20to%20the%20UK's%20needs..&text=The%20UK%20utilises%2070%20mt,is%20close%20to%20full%20potential.
