Aggregate Industries has successfully completed the trial of its new, innovative Foamix product, marking a significant achievement in pursuit of a sustainable lower-carbon solution for pavement construction, repair, and maintenance.
Trialled on an M65 slip road in Lancashire, the new Foamix solution is a cold recycled bitumen-bound material, manufactured with carbon-negative aggregates and biogenic bitumen throughout the process.
The outcome is a cost-effective, high-quality solution that recycles the existing carriageway, offering a net-zero solution production process and a highly sustainable option for asphalt construction projects.
Already well-established within the industry as a replacement for traditional asphalt and cementitious materials, Foamix has been widely recognized for delivering a very low-carbon footprint due to its cold process and recycled content, making it an ideal choice for achieving a circular economy within construction.
Building upon this success, Aggregate Industries have undertaken further development of Foamix by incorporating carbon-negative aggregates and a biogenic binder.
The trial has successfully delivered a carbon-neutral asphalt solution, with net-zero embodied carbon emissions from cradle to gate (Scope A1-A3), without the use of carbon offsetting, thereby supporting National Highways’ target to deliver net-zero construction by 2040.
After rigorous research and development processes, coupled with live manufacturing and installation trials, in partnership with Lancashire County Council, the new carbon-neutral Foamix is said to be the most sustainable and lowest-carbon asphalt construction material to date and represents a sustainable alternative compared with traditional methods.
With this product, it is even possible to achieve a negative carbon footprint on projects when reusing the planings on site.
Whilst Aggregate Industries’ current Foamix solution already delivers a low embodied-carbon footprint, the newly developed Foamix option has achieved a reduction to net zero CO2e per tonne across Scope A1-A3 emissions, thanks to the new product mix and use of on-site mobile plant production and installation.
Carbon-neutral Foamix can also be used in conjunction with Aggregate Industries’ SuperLow Carbon asphalt to deliver an ultra-low-carbon pavement.
Commenting on the successful trial, Thomas Edgcumbe, surfacing solutions managing director at Aggregate Industries, said: ‘We are delighted with the recent successful trial of our new carbon-neutral Foamix product and are immensely proud to have partnered with
Lancashire County Council and supply chain on this project.
‘This sets a new standard for sustainable construction materials, with the use of on-site production and high percentage of RAP allowing us to build a circular economy. The successful outcome and development demonstrate our steadfast commitment to leading the construction industry towards a more sustainable and eco-conscious future.’
Speaking on behalf of Lancashire County Council, highways asset manager Paul Binks said: ‘As part of our ongoing drive to reduce carbon across our highway network, recycling our existing roads back into new roads has always been one of our main drivers.
‘The Foamix supplied by Aggregate Industries is being used successfully throughout the county and this latest innovation is the next generation, which will see a further reduction of carbon emissions across the network.’
Aggregate Industries say the successful trial of the new carbon neutral Foamix marks a ground-breaking moment, as it not only provides a cutting-edge solution for construction projects, but also represents the first potentially carbon-neutral asphalt solution within the construction industry.
This achievement aligns with the commitment to increase the use of recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) by 60% in asphalt products as part of the company’s overall drive to achieve net zero before 2050.
According to Aggregate Industries, this evolution in cold-lay asphalt is set to revolutionize the way construction projects are carried out, allowing a more sustainable approach while maintaining high quality standards and cost-effectiveness. By adopting carbon-neutral Foamix, construction companies and local authorities can, they say, actively contribute to a greener future while meeting their infrastructure needs.
