The £500m M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project, which will upgrade the central Scotland motorway network, has become one of the largest recycling schemes in the country.
Scottish Roads Partnership, the company tasked with constructing the project along with their main contractors Lagan Construction Group/Ferrovial Joint Venture and Amey, has recycled more than 90 per cent of waste on the project. This has included:
• Over 1 million tonnes of unsuitable earth material have been treated with lime and used for the construction of engineering fills and embankments saving 200,000 hours of lorry journeys to the site.
• Four major road bridges have been demolished so far and their waste material crushed to produce aggregates to be re-used for construction of the new roads.
• A 2.3km-long concrete barrier between Eurocentral and Chapelhall on the A8 is being crushed to produce more than 5,000 tonnes of capping material for access lanes
• More than 20,000 tonnes of material have been taken off the site and delivered to the country’s leading recycling companies.
• 180,000 square metres of tar from old roads have been lifted, processed and crushed so that it can be incorporated in the new roads being built.
• Up to 5km of old cast iron pipes have already been dug up and sent to recycling centres to be turned into new steel products.
“The Scottish Government is committed to a Greener Scotland – from more sustainable projects through to improving our natural and built environment. “We are committed to sustainable economic growth in Scotland and the project’s economic and urban regeneration benefits upon completion are clear – but it’s also important that during delivery of this infrastructure project all of the activities on site are as sustainable as possible. “I welcome the considerable efforts made by the contractor to enhance its green credentials and deliver this project in an environmentally-friendly way.”Keith Brown, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Job & Fair Work
Giant concrete crushers were brought in to allow waste material to be crushed to produce new materials for re-use on site. Entire bridges no longer fit for purpose have been demolished and the 1960’s concrete contained within them will now provide the foundations for miles of new roads and pavements.
Gabriel Valtueña-Ramos, SRP General Manager, has confirmed that the innovative recycling methods being used on the project have proved to be both cost effective and are better for the environment.
“Recycling is an issue we have taken seriously on this project from the outset. We set ourselves high standards which has delivered real benefits. “Not only have we been more environmentally friendly, but we have also allowed more money to be saved through recycling and invested elsewhere in the project.”Gabriel Valtueña-Ramos, SRP General Manager