Socially and Environmentally Responsible Aggregate (SERA) and The Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) presents a breakfast Seminar examining whether recycling best-practices can address growing demands for aggregate materials while reducing pressures on the environment and communities during its extraction.
Download the presentations here:
- Stephen Senior, Soils and Aggregate Section, Ministry of Transportation
- Ric Holt, Gravel Watch Ontario
- Medhat Shehata, Department of Civil Engineering, Ryerson University
- Moreen Miller, Ontario Stone, Sand & Gravel Association
As Ontario continues to build and repair the roads, homes, hospitals and bridges it needs for a growing population the demand for stone, sand and gravel (essential construction materials known as aggregate) will continue to put pressure on municipalities, the province and the aggregate and construction industries to pursue new and innovative methods for the recycling and reuse of aggregate and concrete materials. Utilization of these methods across the province would lead to reduced pressure for aggregates that are extracted in ways that are detrimental to the environment or local communities.
Today, it is estimated that only 7.2% of the aggregate used in Ontario is from recycled material. In contrast, approximately 24% of the United Kingdom’s aggregate comes from recycled materials. As Ontario’s population and demand for aggregate materials continues to grow it will be the role of municipal and provincial leaders, developers, community groups and aggregate operators to ensure that this valuable resource is utilized in the most efficient ways possible.
How can we ensure that our future aggregate needs are met in a way that is responsible to both our environment and the communities where aggregates are extracted? What is the current state of research into structurally appropriate uses of recycled aggregate and concrete? What, if any changes, are needed to building codes and road specifications to ensure we make the most efficient use of reclaimed aggregates and concrete.
The role of the municipal and provincial governments as well as private developers cannot be ignored – how do their demands for a reliable supply of construction materials fit with responsibly sourced materials? What is the municipal responsibility in integrating procurement policies that align with international best-practices in the aggregate sector?