Our Avonmouth Wash Plant
In the face of growing demand for sustainable construction, your choice of materials and waste management partner is more critical than ever. At B&A Group (now part of the Heidelberg Materials family) we’re committed to closing the loop on construction and demolition (C&D) waste.
Our new £8 million state-of-the-art wash plant at Avonmouth is the largest of its kind in the UK, making it your go-to resource for transforming inert and non-hazardous C&D waste into high-quality, fully compliant recycled aggregates and sands.
We offer a complete, reliable, and local solution that’s helping the industry transition towards a more sustainable future. By diverting more material from landfill and creating high-quality recycled products, our goal is to meet the increasing demand for more sustainable construction products.
£8,000,000
How much we've invested into creating the UK's largest excavated waste recycling wash plant
450,000
Tonnes of excavated waste we can process each year
A wide range of washed aggregates and sands, all processed to the highest standards
We produce a wide range of washed recycled aggregates and sands, all processed to the highest standards. They can be used to replace primary aggregate in a range of products.
Recycled Concrete and Washed Grit Sand (0–4mm)
Including the UK's first concrete sand to meet BS EN 12620, and Washed Grit Sand
Washed Pipe Bedding
Available in various grades (e.g., 4–10mm, 10–20mm, 20–40mm, 40–80mm)
Washed Fine Sand
Available in a grading of (0–2mm)
Why choose our wash plant services?
“Our new bespoke wash plant enables on-site recovery and washing of material, turning C&D waste into recycled aggregates, helping meet increasing demand for more sustainable construction products, it also diverts more material from landfill and on-site washing helps meet environmental permit standards and avoids contamination concerns, supporting regulatory compliance” - Helen Griffin, Managing Director at B&A Group.
Our wash plant offers unrivalled capacity and reliability as the largest in the UK, capable of processing up to 450,000 tonnes of C&D waste a year. This is all delivered with assured quality and compliance, producing aggregates that meet exacting standards.
Sustainability plays a part in everything we do here at B&A. Our plant features an advanced drainage and water recovery system that captures and recirculates process water, minimising our impact on the environment and conserving freshwater resources.
Specialist soil washing
Managing contaminated soils and madeground is one of the most significant environmental and financial challenges on modern construction sites. At B&A Group, our advanced wash plant includes a specialist soil washing process specifically designed to tackle this challenge.
This process enables us to handle a diverse range of non-hazardous, contaminated soils and madeground. By utilising high-pressure water, scrubbing, and our classification systems (hydrocyclones and classifiers), we are able to effectively remove fines and pollutants. This capability is crucial, as it transforms soils that would otherwise be classified as waste requiring expensive off-site disposal.
The outcome is clean material, suitable for reuse on-site. Choosing our specialist soil washing service delivers multiple benefits for your project:
Our process ensures that your project complies with environmental regulations by responsibly treating contaminated material on-site, managing your liability, and avoiding environmental concerns.
By turning what was considered 'waste' into a reusable product, you significantly reduce reliance on landfill and avoid the high costs associated with disposing of contaminated material.
We don't just treat the soil; we recover it as a valuable, clean resource. This supports your material needs and increases the overall resource recovery rate for your project
Discover the UK’s Largest Excavated Waste Recycling Facility at our Open Day
Don’t miss your chance to experience the UK’s largest excavated waste recycling facility in action. Join us at our Avonmouth Open Day on 27th November 2025 to explore our groundbreaking wash plant, meet our expert team, and see how we're on a mission to drive sustainable construction.
Start your sustainable project today
Our wash plant was built with one goal in mind, to enable our customers to build more, with less. Ready to secure a reliable supply of high-quality recycled aggregates or require a sustainable, compliant solution for your C&D waste?
Contact our team today to discuss your project needs and material requirements, or to arrange a full site visit.
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FAQs
Why has B&A decided to install a wash plant?
B&A are planning to increase their site’s annual throughput from ~250,000 tpa to up to 450,000 tonnes of construction and demolition waste. This revitalised Recycling how we know it
Installing a bespoke wash plant enables on-site recovery and washing of material, turning waste into recyclable aggregates to meet increasing demand and support regulatory compliance. It aligns with their strategic shift under the Heidelberg Materials UK to strengthen the recycling and circular economy capabilities.
What are the benefits of a wash plant?
It separates, cleans and re-processes waste into high-quality recycled aggregates, diverting more material from landfill.
On-site washing helps meet environmental permit standards and avoids contamination concerns.
It reduces need for off-site treatment, lowers transport and handling costs, and improves material value.
It supports the planned throughput expansion up to 450,000 tpa without compromising quality.
What products can the wash plant produce?
Washed recycled aggregates (suitable for construction use)
Washed Pipe Bedding (+80mm)
Washed Pipe Bedding 40-80mm
Washed Pipe Bedding 20-40mm
Washed Pipe Bedding 10-20mm
4-10 Pipe Bedding
Washed 0-4 Grit Sand
Washed 0-2 Fine Sand
How long does the process take?
The exact cycle times depend on feed composition and moisture content. We have the potential to produce constant 24/7 operation of the wash plant (allowing non-stop processing with brief maintenance breaks only)
That being said, the typical throughput is continuous processing: in practice, a batch move (from hopper to screened product) may take minutes, depending on size.
What is the capacity?
The wash plant is sized to enable processing the full waste throughput increase, i.e. up to 450,000 tonnes per annum of construction & demolition waste. That equates to roughly 2,000 t/day over 240 working days.
What material can be processed / washed?
Inert and non-hazardous C&D waste: brick, concrete, asphalt, crushed rock, soils, sands, subsoils.
Contaminated soils and made-ground treated through specialist soil washing to remove fines, pollutants impacted materials, returning clean soils for reuse.
The wash plant can also handle mixed aggregate feed and stratify by size and composition.
