Forterra turns back brick dust into concrete
British brick maker Forterra cooperates with Swedish mining company KLAB to reuse its manufacturing waste. The two companies will use recycled brick waste to produce calcined clay, according to its plans. This may be used as an alternative to low-carbon concrete. But how does this technology work, and is it useful in the building industry?
The main source: Forterra turns muck to brass with SCM from brick dust
How does this technology work?
Calcined clay is produced by heating raw clay to a temperature of 700-800 degrees Celsius, as a rule. This process is called calcination. This technology is ineffective because it requires a lot of energy and also produces a great CO2 emission.
However, this process may be significantly reduced by using brick waste. Building pieces are already heated, and there is no requirement to heat them. All that is needed is to deliver the brick to a special factory, where it will be fine-milled according to special technology. This method is already in use and gives positive results. In 2024, nearly 2,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions were avoided thanks to this technology. Reduction CO2 emission by 35 000 tonnes per year is in company plans.
How will it influence the building industry?
As has already been said, there are 2 reasons why this technology is actively developing. First – it solves the problem of building waste. And second – reduce CO2 emissions.
Forterra chief executive Neil Ash, said: “Forterra is proud to be the first in the industry to commercialize the use of calcined clay as a sustainable, low-carbon cement alternative.
“We’re ambitious in our targets to reduce CO2 emissions within our operations and value chain, so being at the forefront of innovations such as this partnership shows the level of our aspirations, while also underpinning our commitment to the environment.
“Leading the way in sustainable and circular industry practices allows us to reduce emissions and add value to our business. But it also has wider benefits. By offering high-quality, low-carbon products, we help to reduce the embodied carbon in construction, cutting emissions across the industry as a whole.”
Fencyx, as one of the leaders in the UK building industry, is happy that progress is moving in this direction. This technology helps solve many brick recycling problems, and we hope that similar technologies will also be used for other materials.