May 7, 2019 10.29 am This story is over 64 months old

Lincoln firm develops eco-friendly road recycling tech

Roads could be made from 90% of recycled material
They are developing a greener alternative.

A Lincoln firm is developing new technology which could lead to all roads being made from 90% recycled material by the end of the year.

Minster Surfacing is making new ground alongside Lincolnshire County Council by developing a more environmentally-friendly option.

The Lincoln-based resurfacing company already recycles 50% of materials, but wants to take the technology a step further to 90%.

The systems being developed would significantly reduce the carbon footprint of road surfacing work.

It would reduce the reliance on quarries and prevent hundreds of thousands of material going to waste.

Roads are traditionally made with distilled crude oil and mineral aggregate, two materials which we have a finite supply of.

Bruce Spencer-Knott is the managing director of Minster Surfacing and has hailed the tech as a game-changer.

Bruce Spencer-Knott, MD of Minster Surfacing, said: “We’ve already made great progress in reducing the environmental impact of our work through our recycling technology.

“We’re now hoping to do something even more impressive which should enable roads to be almost entirely made with recycled material.

“What we’re working on could be a complete game-changer. We’re testing ways of reliably and practically making high quality, durable roads that require only a very small amount of new material.”

Councillor Richard Davies, executive member for highways at Lincolnshire County Council, also said: “We’re really pleased to be supporting Minster Surfacing’s research and development for more sustainable road surfacing.

“Our Lincs Laboratory is a great facility which supports innovation while ensuring that all the work that gets carried out on our roads is of the highest standard.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing their new green innovations being used on Lincolnshire’s roads in future.”