Peel Group is a leading English infrastructure, transport and real estate investor, assisting the UK in achieving net zero by 2050 at the heart of its decision-making. The firm puts sustainability at the fore and has a vision to improve the construction industry, reducing the unnecessary loss of natural resources.
Established over 50 years ago, Peel Group has grown through an ethos of recycling capital and long-term investment, gaining a reputation for visionary regeneration projects, primarily in North England.
Its investment in a new construction and demolition (C&D) waste recycling plant, designed and engineered by wet processing industry experts CDE, is the latest step in its commitment to combatting climate change and its impacts.
NRE Aggregates, part of Peel NRE, operates the plant to produce high-quality recycled construction products to recycle 240,000 tonnes of C&D waste each year at the facility based in Salford, Manchester. This entirely new venture for the business reaffirms its commitment to the circular economy, reducing its carbon footprint and diverting more waste from landfill.
As this was a new venture for Peel NRE, the firm wanted to seek expertise from an organisation with similar values and be experts in the field.
Peel NRE chose CDE, as both companies advocate for greater use and adoption of recycled aggregates, and they share the same purpose of creating a more sustainable and circular world, which underpins everything that NRE Aggregates is setting out to do with this project.
Commenting on the partnership, John Peaker, associate director, Asset & Materials Management, Peel L&P, said: "We strive to use the most innovative methods and techniques to provide quality recycled products. Working with industry experts CDE means partnering with the next generation of innovative thinkers, and we aim to continually improve and refine our methods to reduce carbon emissions and protect the future.
"As CDE is a world leader in sand washing equipment and processing with over 30 years of experience, the decision was made easy."
The plant has been designed to meet NRE Aggregates' business needs and site conditions. The 120tph solution incorporates the R4500 primary feeding system, the AggMax scrubbing and classification system, EvoWash sand wash plant, AquaCycle high-rate thickener and the filter press sludge dewatering system.
The R4500 electric scalper with apron feeder delivers unrivalled protection of the downstream process by maximising product yield from feed material. The unique construction of the VibroCentric drive removes unnecessary weight while delivering acceleration up to 5G for enhanced screening performance.
The pioneering AggMax scrubbing and classification system combines pre-screening, scrubbing, organics removal, sizing, stockpiling, fines recovery and filtrates removal on a compact chassis. The integrated trash screen allows for the effective removal of organics and other lightweight contaminants, ensuring the production of the highest quality final aggregates and mineral ores.
The EvoWash sand washing system is engineered for in-spec sands with hydro-cyclone technology. It gives unparalleled control of silk cut points to produce quality materials and guarantees a return on investment. It is also equipped with the VibroSync drive centre, which distributes power evenly across the full screening area and ensures maximum energy transfer to material for unrivalled dewatering performance.
The AquaCycle high-rate thickener recycles up to 90% of the process water for immediate reuse in the system. It is a single, compact, highly efficient water management solution that minimises costly water consumption. Paired with the AquaStore, which receives recycled water from the AquaCycle, it ensures that all water is reused all the time. CDE's filter press technology is also designed to eliminate waste, increase water recycling and reduce waste handing significantly.
With this plant, NRE Aggregates is making significant developments in the North West construction industry by creating sustainable resources for the future, reducing the amount of primary aggregates and decreasing the volume of waste entering landfill sites.
Since commissioning, the plant has recycled over 100,000 tonnes of construction, demolition and excavation waste and is on target to process 240,000 tonnes in its first year of operation.
The firm is now producing in total. Four aggregates, 6-10mm, 10-20mm, 20-40mm and 40-80mm, and a 0-2mm sand and 0-4mm grit.
"We believe that yesterday's waste can be a resource of the future," said Peaker. "We're recovering valuable resources from historic sites within Greater Manchester and remediating these sites to provide regeneration opportunities. We're striving towards our own goal of zero-to-landfill, and technology like CDE's is enabling us to take massive strides in achieving it."
"CDE is still playing a proactive role in ensuring we are happy with how the plant is producing and running. We've found CDE really easy to work with, as they deliver what they say they are going to deliver."
Mike Bibby, business development manager for CDE, said: "We've been working with NRE Aggregates for about five years now, and our
relationship has gone from strength to strength. We've got similar values and goals for local markets, and we were able to have a clear understanding of the business requirements.
"Plants like this are the future of the industry in their ability to minimise waste and maximise value. We are delighted to have played such an important role in the firm's journey into wet processing and look forward to seeing the partnership develop."
CDE and NRE Aggregates will be hosting a 360 virtual site tour of the 120tph CD&E waste recycling plant, where experts will detail each stage of the process, from the feed material and the washing process to the six outputs currently being produced.
To register for the webinar on Tuesday, 26th September please visit cdegroup.com/nre
