The Mayor of Greater Manchester has visited a state-of-the-art construction and demolition wash plant run by NRE Aggregates, part of regeneration business Peel L&P.

The new aggregate recycling facility repurposes demolition waste which would normally enter landfill to create sustainable aggregate products, contributing to the circular economy and reducing carbon emissions in the North West.

Mayor Andy Burnham was hosted by The Peel Group Chairman, Mark Whitworth and Associate Director of Asset and Materials Management, John Peaker as they embarked on an interactive tour of the new wash plant, highlighting the positive impact it will make across the Greater Manchester economy.

Located near to the AJ Bell Stadium, the aggregate recycling facility works by separating gravel, sand, clay and other debris from materials which have been extracted from construction projects in Greater Manchester.

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The process starts with the material being fed onto a conveyor belt towards a screen which separates out larger rocks and debris. The screened material is then processed through wash plant technology, developed by global processing experts CDE, the world's leading provider of wet processing solutions with applications across a wide range of materials within the natural processing and waste recycling sectors.

Water used in the process is recycled and clay is recovered by a filter press for use as fill material or flood defence works, subject to approval and testing.

The process recycles up to 99% of the waste material received at the site and deploys rainwater harvesting to recover water for reuse in the process.

After a tour of the plant and climbing the 15-metre-high structure, Mayor Burnham returned to ground to discuss the importance of recycling projects like the Port Salford Aggregate Recycling Facility with members of the team.

Mayor Burnham said: "Four years ago, I announced my vision to make the Greater Manchester City Region carbon neutral by 2038, a task that can only be achieved by embracing the circular economy.

"This project is at the forefront of that change, and having the opportunity to see this facility up close was invaluable. I enjoyed meeting the Salford-based team and learning about the steps which helped make this recycling project possible.

"The mission which Peel NRE is embarking on to repurpose and reuse material throughout the construction chain is vital in helping the UK achieve net zero."