Olympics site misses green target

Ambitious green targets to build more than two-thirds of the Olympic Park with recycled aggregates are being missed because strict design codes bar the widespread use of recycled materials.

Aggregate Industries vowed to supply 70% of the materials needed as recycled aggregates when it won the contract 12 months ago.

But that target has been forced down to 25% because of the high quality standards demanded on the 2012 park. Contractors were also worried about the extra cost of using recycled materials.

One site source said: "It's not a question of Aggregate Industries not being willing or unable to supply that amount of recycled aggregates.

"The simple fact is that the original design specifications were very high so the architects and contractors had to go with primary aggregates.

"The whole emphasis has been on quality and the materials have to meet those specifications.

"Using recycled can also work out more costly because you need large economies of scale to make the transport viable and it also takes a lot more cement to bind the concrete."

The Olympic Delivery Authority stressed that its target was always 25% and the 70% figure was put forward by Aggregate Industries.

Another site source said: "It's a bit of a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing.

"The ODA let Aggregate Industries announce its 70% target but that was always going to be impossible to hit because of design standards they had been involved in drawing-up.

"The cost issue also became more pressing as the economy started taking a turn."

An ODA spokesperson said: "The ODA and its contractors are committed to meeting and exceeding the target of using aggregate with at least 25% recycled content.

"In the first quarter of this year over 70% of the aggregates used on site were recycled and this was a combination of materials brought on to site and the re-use of demolition materials. All materials must meet design and planning requirements and the ODA is working with its aggregates supplier and contractors to ensure the proportion of recycled aggregate brought on to site can be maximised within these parameters."