Amsterdam airport opens own concrete recycling facility

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in the Netherlands has launched its own concrete recycling facility. The facility will crush concrete from renovation and maintenance projects to create new concrete or foundation material for construction projects at the airport.

Until the new site opened, most concrete rubble was transported to a nearby crushing machine, or a machine was rented (Photo: AdobeStock)

The facility, opened in collaboration with Heijmans and VolkerWessels Infra Schiphol, contributes to the airport’s goal of becoming waste-free by 2030.

The new facility is said to be able to store, sort and break down concrete rubble into small chunks using large crushing units before turning it into recycled concrete products.

All major construction partners at the airport can use the installations on the site.

Until the new site opened, most concrete rubble was transported to a nearby crushing machine, or a machine was rented.

The airport is said to save an estimated 48,000 transportation miles and the associated CO2 emissions annually by processing and recycling concrete on its own site. 

“With this recycling facility, we close the concrete recycling circle on our own grounds. Every year, 60,000 tonnes of concrete rubble is left over after renovations and maintenance works. We don’t simply throw it away.

“We mix, break and crush the rubble so that it can be reused in all sorts of projects at Schiphol, such as aircraft stands. This is a substantial step towards circularity at the airport,” said Sybren Hahn, Director Asset Management at Schiphol Airport.