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SMR UK launches ReBind, a sustainable alternative to excavation and landfill disposal that cuts costs and environmental impact.
A new remediation technology, ReBind, is set to change how the UK handles brownfield redevelopment by offering a cost-effective, on-site solution for contaminated soil. Developed by SMR UK, the patented binder enables developers to stabilise and reuse up to 100% of contaminated ground, avoiding escalating landfill costs and reducing environmental impact.
The launch comes as remediation costs continue to rise. The standard rate of landfill tax increased to £126.15 from April 2025. Combined with disposal fees, removing hazardous soil can reach £160 per tonne, an increasingly unviable route for many developments. With shrinking landfill capacity and rising costs, councils and developers are under pressure to find faster, more affordable solutions.
"Landfill tax was meant to encourage more sustainable alternatives, but it has made remediation financially out of reach for many projects," said Clare Thomas, Managing Director of SMR UK.
"ReBind offers an immediate, cost-effective option, treating soil on-site, cutting disposal costs, and reducing project timelines by up to 75%. It also reduces the need for importing materials, reducing carbon impact and transport disruption."
Unlike traditional remediation methods such as lime, ReBind is a patented, lime-free binder that works in all weather and eliminates delays caused by lime mellowing. It also allows for a change in specification, reducing layer depths compared to traditional excavation and removal approaches. This significantly reduces programme time, while still achieving the necessary load-bearing strength (CBR) for a wide range of development sites.
ReBind is already in use on live projects and has delivered proven results. On a large-scale infrastructure scheme in Melton Mowbray, SMR UK worked with MWH Treatment Ltd to stabilise contaminated ground conditions on-site, avoiding the need to remove over 8,300m² of spoil and replace it with imported materials. The solution prevented over 1,300 vehicle movements and saved more than £2 million in costs while reducing carbon emissions by 1,272 tonnes of CO₂e.
"These results clearly show how ReBind can overcome complex ground conditions and help meet strict environmental targets," said Clare Thomas.
"We're now looking at how the same approach can be applied to residential developments, especially those that have stalled due to the high cost of land remediation."
SMR UK has also worked with major developers, including Vistry Homes, Redrow, Bellway, and David Wilson Homes, using its soil stabilisation technology on active sites.
ReBind is designed to treat a wide range of contaminants found on brownfield sites. These include heavy metals, hydrocarbons (such as petroleum residues and BTEX compounds), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), chlorinated solvents, industrial chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides. It is also effective on more challenging substances, including fluorinated compounds, chlorobenzenes, phenols, nitrates, phosphates, energetics, and multiple forms of asbestos, including chrysotile, amosite, and crocidolite. This extensive treatment range makes ReBind well-suited to sites with complex contamination profiles.
The launch supports the UK government's Brownfield Release Fund, which provides £180 million to English councils to speed up the development of disused land. One of the biggest barriers to using this funding is the cost of remediation. ReBind offers a way to significantly cut those costs by up to 50% when time, materials, and transport are considered, making previously stalled or unviable sites viable again.
With over 28 million tonnes of soil sent to UK landfills annually, the industry faces growing pressure to move away from dig-and-dump solutions. The government has even explored a Landfill Tax Grant Scheme to help local authorities cope with the financial burden. But the real answer, many argue, is to reduce landfill reliance altogether. On-site solutions like ReBind allow projects to go ahead while complying with environmental regulations.
SMR UK is working with housing developers, civil engineering contractors, and local authorities to integrate ReBind into new projects. Early trials are showing significant savings, stronger compliance, and smoother delivery.
Claire Thomas concluded: "As local councils work to accelerate brownfield development under government funding schemes, technologies like ReBind could play a pivotal role in unlocking previously unviable sites and delivering new homes faster and more sustainably."
