CONCRETE & STONEWORK
SLOWING THE SANDS OF TIME
The global sand industry is running out of time , and the UK landscaping market needs to seek appropriate alternatives or see profits slip through the cracks .
50 billion tonnes of aggregate are used every year 1 , and global population growth , urbanisation and development are driving large increases in international demand for sand and other aggregates . This is resulting in not only the disappearance of riverbeds and shorelines worldwide , but an escalating trade in black market sand and increased sand piracy .
Awareness of the global sand crisis is escalating , and scientists worldwide are finding solutions to replace sand in concrete with other materials . The construction and landscaping industry will always require sand and aggregate to build safely ; however , we should seek to reduce our use of these primary resources and think outside the box when it comes to decreasing our dependence on aggregates .
Azpects Ltd has been working on a solution to the aggregate problem when creating patios , paths , and driveways . Their new product , EASYClickBase , is a synthetic subbase which replaces the traditional ‘ dig-out ’ part of the creation process , saving time , money and – importantly – aggregate . Early feedback suggests that for a 60m2 domestic vehicular driveway EASYClickBase reduces excavation by 75 % and replacement aggregate by 80 % 2 .
EASYClickBase replaces the traditional full mortar laying bed , reducing the need for sand and cement in that phase of installation . Thin surface dressings , such as porcelain tiles , can be glued directly to the sub-base , while block paving can be laid on a thin layer of bedding sand . Made from 100 % recycled plastic , EASYClickBase has the potential to significantly reduce the environmental impact of landscaping projects .
The combination of cost savings and eco credentials couldn ’ t come at a better time . In a recent webinar titled ‘ Consumer Trends in a Post-Pandemic World ’, trend analysts Scarlet Opus suggested the environmental movement has been brought forward 5 + years in consumers ’ minds 3 . Whilst we may never be able to completely halt the hourglass on the use of sand and aggregates , new innovations like EASYClickBase may help us slow the tide to a trickle for the landscaping industry . www . azpects . co . uk
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