How to Reduce Concrete Waste

Why reduce waste?

Concrete is one of the most highly used materials within construction projects large and small. Reducing waste that goes into landfill by recycling and reducing the need for waste altogether, minimises our environmental impact of waste disposal. Large quantities of concrete to be recycled can get rejected from landfill sites especially if you are a tradesperson and often have a cost associated.

By playing your part in removing the need to recycle concrete waste altogether, you will be contributing to lowering greenhouse gasses and the production of carbon which is captured within concrete production . 

Our top tips for reducing concrete waste onsite 

Get the right measurements - In most cases it is always recommended to order ‘a little extra’ just in case you don't have enough, whether it's carpet, wallpaper or plants. 

However when ordering concrete you need to ensure you have the exact measurements to hand and quantity needed. Ordering over your required amount, leaves you with concrete to dispose of on site which is not easy to do. Our Concrete Calculator will help you to accurately measure the M3 you require so you can be sure to order the right amount of ready mix concrete on time everytime. 

Measure twice- it is always important to conduct the measuring a couple of times and check the accuracy. 

Opt for a sustainable concrete- sustainable concrete means it is better for the environment and should you have waste concrete, at least this is more environmentally friendly when disposed of.  We offer a sustainable concrete alternative called ‘ECOPact’ which can be selected against most of our product ranges now. See the dropdowns on offer against selecting our products.

Hire a skip so you can separate waste of hardened concrete- Remember if you order over your requirement you will need to place the extra amount somewhere else and leave to harden. (extra concrete cannot be sent back to our plants on the mixer truck it arrived on.) Once hardened you can then break this up into smaller pieces you are able to carry/ wheelbarrow to a skip. 

Consider a site waste management plan- If site waste is inevitable you can look into adopting a site waste management plan as explained by ‘Better buildings Partnership’. Your builder or tradesperson should be able to advise you on this for larger projects. For smaller projects like a shed base it is always advised to just ensure you measure the exact amount. 

Conclusion

In summary, adding a little more preparation time and checking if your measurements are exact will save you a lot of time in the long run, not to mention energy, cost savings and help our environment. Our trucks do not offer a concrete return service. Please see our terms and conditions for further details on this.