Concrete repair key to sustainability

This National Recycling Week (10–16 November), Building Chemical Supplies (BCS) suggests the path to sustainability starts with repair, not replacement.

The company said Australia’s construction and demolition sector has made great progress in recycling concrete waste, but it’s time to take the conversation a step further.

Before concrete reaches a recycling facility, many structures could be repaired and restored — saving materials, energy and emissions.

With construction and demolition waste making up around 26.8 million tonnes of material every year, repair is an opportunity to keep concrete in use for longer and reduce the need for new materials altogether.

In Queensland, it was reported about 83.3% of construction and demolition waste was diverted from landfill in 2023–24, already exceeding the state’s 2025 recovery target of 75%.

Around 1.6 million tonnes of concrete were recycled that year, a strong sign that the industry is heading in the right direction. But recycling still happens at the end of a structure’s life. Repairing concrete gives it another decade, or several, before it ever becomes waste.

Every tonne of concrete repaired means less raw material mined, less energy used in production and fewer emissions from cement manufacturing — which the company said is one of the most carbon-intensive industries on the planet.

Repairing concrete isn’t a quick fix. It’s a trusted and effective way to restore strength, safety and performance, BSC said. Techniques like crack injection, spalling repair, waterproofing and carbon-fibre strengthening are proven to bring aging structures back to life across commercial and civil projects.

Demolition and rebuilds use huge amounts of energy and materials. Repair focuses on restoring what’s already there, using a fraction of the resources. It’s a practical, lower-impact way to maintain Australia’s built environment and reduce embodied carbon, which currently accounts for around 10% of national emissions.

“This National Recycling Week, we want the industry to think one step earlier,” said Blair Edmonds, Director at Building Chemical Supplies. “Recycling is valuable, but before concrete becomes waste, there’s an opportunity to repair and reuse what already exists. That’s the real foundation of sustainable construction.”

The company said repairing before replacing helps builders, engineers and asset managers reduce waste, extend the life of their structures and take pressure off recycling facilities. It’s a practical shift that cuts costs, saves time and delivers real environmental impact.

BSC said Australia’s recycling efforts show great progress, but true circular construction starts well before the skip bin. Repairing what already stands keeps materials in use for longer, reduces landfill and moves the industry closer to a lower-carbon, more sustainable future.

Image caption: BCS Concrete Repair. Image: Supplied.