We recently reached our bold target to divert 80% waste from landfill.  This is reason to celebrate as it means that our business is a Waste Eater, now consuming 80 times more waste than we send to landfill.  In recognition of this, CEMEX and Recycle R8 partners, Biffa, have been shortlisted for the MRW National Recycling Awards under the Construction Recycler of the year category.

Two years ago the business invested in a new strategy Recycle R8 with waste provider Biffa, to drastically reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill and increase recycling.  Today, Recycle R8 has delivered concrete results with 80% waste diverted from landfill and recycling reaching 49%.

For example, in cement we use by-products from other industries such as fly ash from the power industry and GGBS (ground granulated blast furnace slag) from the iron and steel producing industries.

“Through the partnership with Biffa and the strategy, Recycle R8, we are delighted to have achieved our bold targets. The strategy involved a challenging audit process and complete change of culture amongst our employees,” commented Andy Spencer, Director of Sustainability and Energy.

Once each site had been audited and the results analysed, the right bins and skips for the right waste to minimise landfill and maximise recycling were put in place. With the right facilities on each site, a campaign highlighting environmental and financial benefits for better waste management was implemented to engage employees.

Andy concludes: “We couldn’t have achieved it without the commitment of everyone in CEMEX UK.  They have really embraced the whole initiative.  It is now everyday practice for them to recycle and divert waste from landfill. Before Recycle R8 we had 27% waste diverted away from landfill today it is 80%, with us moving towards our 100% target.”