Is it possible to build without waste?

Have you ever wondered what happens to old roads, demolished buildings, or construction site rubble? At Colas, we have a simple answer: nothing is lost, everything is transformed! ???

Nothing is lost, everything is transformed!

In construction and public works, every material counts. From gravel to old roads to unexpected waste, at Colas, anything can become a valuable resource.

Some of our asphalt mixes (the materials that make up our roads) contain up to 100% recycled materials, such as shards of porcelain or pulverised oyster shells. Yes, even the most unusual waste finds a second life!

Yesterday's rubble becomes tomorrow's foundations. For example, on our road sites, we use existing materials to rebuild directly on site. Less transport, less waste, more efficiency!

?How does it work?

Let's take a recent example: on the National Road 1 renovation site in Gabon, we used our Recycol process.

?? Thanks to this method, the old layers of the road were recycled directly on site to build the new pavement. The result?

• Less waste sent elsewhere.
• Fewer materials to transport.
• A brand-new road that’s more environmentally friendly and economical.

Numbers that speak for themselves

In 2023, Colas recycled 11.2 million metric tons of materials, equivalent to the production of 45 medium-sized quarries. This volume includes not only materials reintegrated into our asphalt mixes, but also those recycled for other players and sectors. We have also set ourselves the target of incorporating 30% recycled materials into our asphalt mixes by 2030, an ambitious challenge that reflects our commitment to more sustainable construction.

In a sector like construction and public works, which has historically been a major consumer of resources, every step forward counts. While more sustainable practices already exist, they continue to evolve in small steps.?

At Colas, we are making the circular economy a priority. By reusing materials directly on our worksites and incorporating ever more recycling into our asphalt mixes, we are proving that it is possible to build in a more sustainable way.

Building without waste is a reality that we are improving every day.??

Find out more here.