MENU
aerial shot of multiple machines working in a gravel pit aerial shot of multiple machines working in a gravel pit
Greenstone recycling

Ireland's first ever Re-used Aggregate

With Greenstone, we are diverting construction waste
from landfill and turning it into a valuable resource.
construction site

Breakthrough for the Construction Industry

In 2019, Integrated Materials Solutions became the first Irish company to be granted an End of Waste Decision from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to allow the re-use of waste concrete into secondary aggregates.

Our managed recovery of used concrete and our state-of-the-art processes meet the highest certified engineering and quality standards to guarantee our customers a fully fit-for-purpose material.

Our re-used aggregate, Greenstone, comprises a number of material types for use in bound and unbound aggregate applications in civil engineering and road construction projects.

See how it works

Environmental Impact

The construction sector – vital though it is to our lives – has been a significant contributor to today’s environmental challenges. In the EU:

  • Over 35% of the EU’s total waste generation is coming from the construction industry
  • Up to 5-12% of total national greenhouse gas emissions come from material extraction, manufacturing of construction products, and construction and renovation work

In 2019, Ireland produced c. 7.5 million tonnes of construction waste, of which c. 10% was waste concrete. In addition, an estimated 36 million tonnes of aggregates were also produced in Ireland last year. If a significant percentage of 2019’s aggregate demand had been met by re-used aggregate, the environmental and economic benefits would have been considerable.

close up of grey rocks

The Greenstone Solution

With IMS becoming the first Irish company permitted by the EPA to produce re-used aggregates, we can now address the situation and help the Irish construction industry to move to a more circular economy.

Re-using concrete not only diverts useful materials from landfill, saving landfill void, it also reduces the demand for new extraction of virgin aggregates. In keeping with the most up-to-date green thinking and environmental directives, Greenstone was created by re-using recovered waste material and turning it into engineering-grade aggregates certified by NSAI for reuse back in construction projects.

Following a detailed Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and independent verification, our re-used aggregate have been certified to have a carbon footprint of only 5% of virgin aggregates. The results of the LCA have been used to produce a certified Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) which is registered with the Irish Green Building Council.

Greenstone is a major step forward in the shift to a more circular economy and an example of IMS’s ever-expanding environmental services and eagerness to find sustainable solutions to support Ireland’s construction industry.

Call 01 843 3744 Email info@imsirl.ie

Greenstone in numbers

5% Carbon footprint of virgin aggregates
1st Irish Aggregate with verified EPD
50,000+ Tonnes of concrete diverted from landfill in 2019
1st End of Waste for Construction Waste

How does it work?

Greenstone Recycling, End of waste process, NSAI certified production protocol
  1. Intake - Construction and demolition raw concrete waste diverted from landfill to designated recycling area
  2. Pre-Sort - Material pre-sorted to break down any large pieces
  3. Crush & Remove - Concrete fed into primary impact crusher. Metals removed by magnet and sent to recycling.
  4. Sort - Resulting material screened and sorted into various product types and sizes (e.g. CI600, CI500, CI800, etc).
  5. Test - Representative samples analysed by an accredited labratory. Physical and chemical testing following decision and product specification.
  6. Recycle - The recycled aggregate can now be used in road and civil engineering projects as an alternative to virgin aggregate.

Our Certifications

Greenstone is manufactured from concrete construction demolition waste that is brought to End-of-Waste stage at the IMS plant. Starting with strict controls on the input material we accept, the End-of-Waste stage is reached after the demolition waste has been screened, crushed and sorted. The resulting material is then stockpiled on site according to each of the three aggregate types: Class 6F2, Clause 503 and Clause 803.

As described in our Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), this is done under the strict conditions of our Waste Licence and managed under an independently accredited Quality Management System (QMS). In early 2020 our aggregates were certified by the NSAI under the country’s most stringent QMS for construction aggregates – System 2+ EN 13242, aggregates for unbound and hydraulically bound materials for use in civil engineering work and road construction. Our products are supplied with CE Certification and we undergo regular audits to ensure ongoing compliance with the End of Waste decision and the Construction Product Regulations.

aerial shot of machinery

In addition to accredited quality assurance, our aggregates have undergone Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to measure the Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2 eq) / ‘carbon footprint’ of the materials. Following detailed assessment and independent verification, our materials have been certified to have a carbon footprint of only 5% of virgin aggregates.

Our product has been registered with the Irish Green Building Council and has been awarded the first Environmental Production Declaration (EPDs) for aggregates in Ireland. Environmental Product Declarations are essential so that the overall Carbon Footprint of a project can be measured by assessing the impact of all the individual components which go in to the project.

shot of clear site with machinery in the background

find out more

Contact us to find out how Greenstone can improve your sustainability rating (e.g. BREAM or LEED) and ensure your civil engineering projects meet the newest standards in sustainable construction 

Call 01 843 3744 Email info@imsirl.ie