Background

Opus Recycling Solutions Limited has significantly invested in an on-site recycling plant which can provide a vast range of aggregates for both utilities and construction contractors, all our recycled products are of the highest quality and fully certified.

The site is based at Former Kenyon Railway Junction, South Of Wilton Lane, Nr Culcheth, Warrington, Cheshire WA3 4BD.

Whether you need to offload waste or have aggregate requirements for construction or utilities the Opus Recycling Solutions state-of-the-art facility offers both a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution.

Ecobind NFSMR

Since June 2023 Opus Recycling Solutions has implemented the production of Ecobind SMR at the state-of-the-Art Recycling Facility based in Culcheth.

This has allowed Opus Recycling Solutions to increase their recovery rates and dramatically reduce their Carbon Emissions on utility waste by up to 80%+. This far exceeds traditional recycling recovery rates which only achieve 30% to 40% recovery rates on Utility waste trench arisings.

For the months of June and July Opus Recycling Solutions has achieved the following sustainability figures from the implementation of Ecobind into the Recycling Process:

Table 01: Waste Recovery Sustainability Figures June & July 2023

FactorUnit
Tonnes of Utility Waste Arisings tipped3,500 tonnes
Ecobind NFSMR produced2,000 tonnes
Recycled Type 1 803 produced1,172 tonnes
Recycled Fines produced850 tonnes
Recovery Rate with Ecobind NFSMR100%
Recovery Rate without Ecobind NFSMR57.77%

Table 02: Air Emissions Figures June & July 2023

FactorPrimary AggregateRecycled AggregateEcobind
Material Export for Disposal (tonnes)3501.001479.000
Lorry Movement233.4098.600
Carbon Emissions (Tonnes)3.401.440
PM10 (Grams)71.8430.350
Nitrogen Oxide (Kg)6.372.690

Table 03: Air Emissions Comparison

FactorPrimary Aggregate %Recycled Aggregate %Ecobind %
Diversion from Landfill0.0058100
Lorry Movement Reduction0.0058100
Carbon Emissions Savings0.0058100
PM10 (Grams)0.0058100
Nitrogen Oxide (Kg)0.0058100

Analysis & Summary

  • Table 01 shows that for the months of June and July 2023, by the implementation of Ecobind SMR into the Recycling process, Opus Recycling Solutions has increased their recovery rates and diversion from Landfill rate from 58% to 100%.
  • Table 02 compares Air Emissions figures of Opus Utilities. The first column of the table ‘Primary Aggregate’ details the Air Quality Management figures that would be achieved if Opus Utilities did not set up and use their own Recycling Facility ‘Opus
  • Recycling Solutions’. This traditional methodology would include sending all excavated utility arisings to Landfill and importing Primary Aggregate for use as backfill materials.
  • The Second Column of the Table ‘Recycled Aggregate’ details the Air Emissions savings that would be achieved by Opus Utilities utilising the Recycling Facility and using Recycled Aggregates back on their Utility contracts.
  • The Third Column of the Table ‘Ecobind’ details the Air Emissions savings that have been achieved by Opus Recycling Solutions implementation of the Ecobind solution into their recycling process.

Table 03 compares the Air Emissions detailed in table 02 as percentages. Therefore:

  • The first column of the table ‘Primary Aggregate’ is the base line for the methodology that is traditionally employed for Utility Arisings and backfill materials. In this scenario there are no CO2, PM10 or NOx savings.
  • The Second Column of the Table ‘Recycled Aggregate’ shows that compared to the traditional methodology ‘Primary Aggregate’ there are CO2, PM10 and NOx reductions of 58%
  • The Third Column of the Table ‘Ecobind’ shows that by introducing Ecobind SMR and HBM into the recycling process there are CO2, PM10 and NOx reductions of 100%
Testing Summary Sheet C2 NFSMR Testing Summary Sheet Type 1

Conclusion

By the introduction of Ecobind SMR and HBM into the Opus Recycling Solution process a 100% reduction in CO2, PM10 and NOx emissions is achieved.

The Emission reductions achieved by Opus Recycling Solutions Ltd also meets the UK decarbonisation objectives. It is noted that the UK construction Sector needs to decarbonise more urgently:

‘The UK Construction Sector should decarbonise more urgently in line with national emission reduction targets of 68% by 2030 and 78% by 2035, according to a report published today by the National Engineering Policy Centre, a Partnership of 43 of the UK’3 professional engineering organisations led by the Royal Academy of Engineering’.

Royal Academy of Engineering