A company in Yorkshire is set to pioneer a new process to recycle tonnes of demolition waste for reuse in the construction industry. T K Lynskey Excavations Ltd is opening the £1.9 million plant today in Wath upon Dearne, near Rotherham.

This state-of-the-art facility has taken seven months to build. It should be in full production towards the end of next year. By then it will be recycling around two and a half thousand tonnes of raw material every week.

The plant is equipped with an advanced segregation and processing system. It takes in construction, demolition and excavation waste, which would otherwise be dumped in landfill sites. The material is sorted and sifted to produce high-quality aggregate which can then be sold for use in new construction projects.

Much of the feedstock for the new plant will come from Martin Lynskey's demolition and excavation business. But the facility will also be open to other producers of construction waste such as utility companies, builders and local authorities. Nationally, the industry produces significant levels of waste.

The aggregate produced is intended for road building and similar construction projects. This will reduce demand for primary aggregates from gravel pits and quarries, thus providing a double benefit for the environment.

The recycled aggregate is clean, of high quality and meets the Highways Agency specification for road-building. It's also an extra revenue stream for the company.

Steve Waite, Aggregates Projects Manager, WRAP, said, “Recycled aggregate is just as high quality as primary aggregate. Friday's opening ceremony marks the completion of a successful project.”

The project was made possible by a £570,000 grant from WRAP, the Waste and Resources Action Programme. WRAP is a not-for-profit company that promotes sustainable waste management by creating markets for recycled products.

This new scheme will benefit the local region in two ways: by reducing the amount of waste being sent to landfill and by cutting demand for primary aggregates. WRAP is hoping it will set an example for the industry nation-wide.

Martin Lynskey, Managing Director said, “Friday's opening ceremony brings together a combination of a number of dreams - it's great we've actually finished now.”