Having worked in the aggregates and construction materials industry for more than 30 years, I have seen almost tectonic shifts in the demand for recycled and sustainable aggregate sources. New quarries are becoming rare and difficult to secure. In addition, the mandatory inclusion of recycled products in construction projects - plus the push for sustainable accreditations, such as Breeam -mean the focus on sustainable aggregate solutions is gathering pace and momentum, and is here to stay. I have spent the past 12 years of my career immersed in the development and evolution of incinerator bottom ash (IBA) aggregate. During this time, I have seen IBA aggregates morph from basic cheap-fill materials into high-quality and high-performing aggregates that are not only specified in highways for works manuals, but are also the materials of choice for many customers. 'Next generation' and Value added' products are the obvious evolutionary step for IBA aggregate - in particular, hydraulically bound materials (HBMs), where IBA aggregate will form part of asphalts, concretes and masonry blocks. Significant progress has been made in this area; however, there is scope for much broader success. I am confident that IBA aggregate will be a standard and high-demand constituent in products such as masonry blocks and HBMs in the very near future.
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