Construct - Issue 51

Investment

TURNING WASTE INTO OPPORTUNITY FM CONWAY HAS INVESTED £1.5 MILLION TO UPGRADE ITS DRAINAGE TREATMENT PLANT IN DARTFORD

Combining cutting-edge technology with a commitment to circular resource use, the investment will enable the business to recycle gully waste more effectively, recovering valuable aggregates, sand and water, as well as combating the fight against soil erosion. The construction industry is one of the biggest consumers of natural resources, and as urban populations grow, so too does demand for them. When we think of building materials, it’s often products like sand, gravel, bricks and mortar that spring to mind, but what about water?

Construction and infrastructure sites have an insatiable thirst. In the UK alone, it’s estimated that the industry uses more than 8 billion litres of water every year. It is vital, from use in material mixes to serving as a lubricant, cleaning agent, heat transfer medium, solvent, and as an air pollution suppressor amongst other things. However, with freshwater resources under increasing pressure, exacerbated by the impact of climate change, the industry’s demand is unsustainable. More needs to be done to reduce waste and increase the efficiency of water usage in construction.

FM Conway has long been a vocal champion for moving the industry towards a circular economy model, keeping materials in use for as long as possible.

“Our investment in the plant shows how we can cut waste and reuse resources that would otherwise be discarded.”

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