From Cradle to Cradle: Lafarge’s Concrete Recycling Initiative
By Rob Cumming, Head of Sustainability and Public Affairs (Eastern Canada) and Stephanie Voysey, Head of Sustainability and Environment (Western Canada)
Earth Day is an annual reminder to celebrate our beautiful planet, reflect on our environmental impact and how we can come together to take action. This year’s theme “Planet vs Plastics” got us thinking about the role of manufacturers in managing their products from cradle to grave—or back to cradle.
One of the most commonly used products in our daily lives is concrete. Concrete is the foundation of our civilization, we see it in buildings, bridges, roads, and sidewalks and in our own homes. In fact, did you know that more concrete is sold each year than all other building materials combined? Its worldwide consumption is second only to water.
The good news is that concrete buildings are built to last for a very long time. However, have you ever wondered about what happens when a building or road is demolished? Does that concrete go entirely to waste? For us at Lafarge, the answer is simple: we recycle it.
At Lafarge Canada, we reuse that concrete to build new structures. We collect, inspect, crush, and sort concrete rubble and use it in place of virgin aggregates (sand, gravel, stone, etc.) for new roads and buildings - this process is known as circular construction. By recycling concrete, we not only reduce waste and conserve natural resources, but we also reduce our carbon footprint.
In fact, in 2023, we recycled over 2 million tonnes of concrete and have plans to double that before 2030. By prioritizing recycling, we aim to build progress for people and the planet and create a sustainable world for future generations.
On Earth Day and every day, we are actively working to do our part to manage our planet’s resources. At Lafarge Canada, sustainability is at the core of everything we do, and recycling concrete is just one of the many ways we demonstrate our commitment to
our planet.
