Aberdeenshire, Scotland-based Recycl8 has recently been awarded a patent from the US government for its R8 Mix binder technology, which repurposes waste material to produce a sustainable, lower-carbon concrete solution.
The firm, which already holds the UK patent, utilises incinerator bottom ash aggregate (IBAA)- often destined for landfill – transforming it into a sustainable, lower-carbon component for concrete manufacture. In doing so, the R8 Mix technology addresses the global challenge of reducing CO2 emissions in construction while fostering the sustainability of construction materials within a Circular Economy.
The US Patent and Trademark Office deemed Recycl8’s new technology to meet its stringent criteria for being both useful and novel, particularly in relation to its application of IBAA, which has different properties compared to the coal ash commonly used in the US.
Managing Director of Recycl8, Mark Gillespie, welcomed the news: “We are pleased to accept the award of this patent in the US – it’s a massive validation of not just our technology and commercial viability, but also our ability to reduce the impact of concrete production on climate change. Our R8 Mix not only has a lower embodied carbon than traditional mixes, but it also breathes new life into materials that would otherwise be discarded, reducing the reliance on virgin quarried materials.
“It’s estimated that there are 2.5 – 3 million tonnes of IBAA available annually in the UK alone, and the accessible amount is growing constantly. To date, we have successfully repurposed the ash from 1,000 tonnes of waste into valuable R8Mix, which has been used across industrial, marine, and residential projects. The potential for the future is vast, not just in the UK, but also in the US and beyond.”
He went on to explain what the patent means for the firm in practice: “The simple answer is that no one else in the industrial powerhouse that is the US can make, use or sell our concrete binder, laying a solid foundation for our potential expansion across the Atlantic.”
Recycl8’s team of seven comprises specialists from the waste-to-energy and construction sectors, headed up by seasoned energy industry leader Mark Gillespie. It works closely with specialists across the wider industry and academia, including the University of Aberdeen and the University of Manchester. The firm has secured private investment, as well as funding from Scottish Enterprise and Innovate UK.
