An Interpave member has won 38 awards in 32 years for the quality of
its restoration and aftercare of its
quarries, promoting biodiversity.
Precast concrete offers a range of important, inherent material characteristics, being:
durable – being inorganic it will not rot or burn or need treating with chemicals to maintain it
inert – it can maximise industrial ecology and does not release harmful substances such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
flexible – it can be engineered to give different properties and can replicate natural materials so that their finite reserves are protected
long-lasting and durable
Recyclable – it can be made of recycled materials and the concrete itself can also be recycled
local - produced in the UK, with locally sourced materials under strict environmental and social legislation, for local supply.
The main industries supplying Interpave manufacturers continue to drive forward with environmental improvements. Many cement companies are aiming for significant reductions in their global CO₂ emissions and all are implementing the Cement Sustainability Initiative developed through the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). The cement industry has also signed up to the UK Government Climate Change Agreement and will deliver an energy efficiency improvement across the sector of 25.6% between 1990 and 2010. The industry also actively recovers the energy from wastes by using them to replace fossil fuels.
The quarrying industry is also keen to address environmental issues and works closely with relevant government agencies to ensure continuous improvement. All quarries have rehabilitation plans and the aggregates industry operates within tightly regulated environmental planning constraints. Around 25% of aggregates used in the UK are from recycled and secondary sources - the highest aggregates recycling rate in Europe.
