99% of Olympic aggregate material to be moved sustainably

Almost all aggregate materials will be transported to London 2012’s Olympic site by rail or water, the winner of logistics contract Aggregate Industries UK has pledged.

The company has promised to move 99% of aggregate materials sustainably – 74% by rail, 25% by water and 1% by road.

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) had requested bidders commit to transporting 50% of materials sustainably.

ODA head of sustainability Dan Epstein said this commitment to sustainability had won the company the lucrative contract to transport all sand, gravel, stone and concrete to the Olympic site.

He said: “Aggregate Industries exceeded the ODA targets and are able to commit to providing over 70% of the materials needed as recycled aggregates and to transport 99% of materials by water or rail.

“This is unprecedented for a project of the size, scale and complexity.”

The company predicts they will use four 120 tonne barges and five 350 tonne barges daily to deliver 500 to 1000 tonnes of material by water.

It also aims to provide 70% of the materials needed as recycled aggregates – exceeding the ODA’s requirement of 25%.