Can you recycle concrete?

The surprising facts about this sustainable material

Now more than ever, sustainability is at the forefront of many business operations. It’s no secret recycling is an important part of our goals to reduce waste and turn the tide against climate change. Mathews Readymix supports these efforts and is proud to use a sustainable product like concrete for our building projects.

Concrete is an eco-friendly building material

Concrete is made from natural materials from the earth. It’s durable and long-lasting, which eliminates the waste of having to rebuild and repair it. Structures built with concrete have a lifespan of 30-50 years. And as a bonus, concrete uses minimal materials, resources, and energy to be created.

So, can you recycle concrete?

The good news is, concrete can be recycled. The rubble from demolished concrete structures can be re-used in landscaping gravel, retaining walls, road gravel, and more. This crushed concrete can also be paired with new materials to create an aggregate: a blend of sand, crushed stone, gravel, or similar materials. When aggregate is added to concrete, it increases its strength, elastic and thermal properties, and stability.

Additional opportunities for recycling

Luckily, there are even more opportunities to be sustainable beyond recycling concrete itself. For example, after cleaning our trucks with recycled water, Mathews Readymix takes the leftover bits of material, like sand and aggregate, next door to Knife River Construction. They recycle our washout material into road projects, giving leftovers a new purpose.

Concrete absorbs carbon

Did you know concrete can help reduce greenhouse gas pollution as well? Concrete absorbs atmospheric carbon, which no other building material can claim to do. It’s one of the seven reasons to choose concrete for your building projects!

Build sustainably with Mathews Readymix

When you use concrete in your next project, you can feel confident knowing you’re part of a sustainable solution. At Mathews Readymix, we’re always looking for ways to reduce our environmental impact and work towards a better future for both our industry and our planet.

If you want expert advice from an experienced leader in the concrete industry, contact Mathews Readymix to see how we can help you with your concrete needs.