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Published on 5/4/2021
Published by marketing@concretebroker.com.au
What is return concrete
Concrete broker examines the details and costs with return concrete
Return concrete is environmentally disposed of Of tipped in metropolitan centres throughout Australia and overseas at a cost to the consumer. This cost is usually around $350 plus GST per cubic metre for every cubic metre of concrete returned to the suppliers yard from your job site. In other words, if you don't use 2 cubic metres of concrete on your job site, and have to return it to the concrete plant, you're up for $700 plus GST.
Return concrete costs you money - Photo by John McArthur on Unsplash
Returned concrete is an operational nightmare for ready-mixed concrete producers. Each year, drum mixers return anywhere from 3% to 5% of the freshly batched concrete to the plant for disposal. Many suppliers choose to employ recycling plants in their yards. Recyclers, as they are known, separate the discharged concrete into aggregates, sand and cement for use in either future mixes, or road base and fill. Alternatively many choose to make concrete blocks from th return concrete, for use in retaining walls, traffic islands, landscaping yards or residential subdivisions.
Photo Courtesy of A1 Concrete Recyclers
In the USA with these operational issues, producers were encouraged to learn of a new product that can take some of the variability out of reclaiming returned concrete. Scientists from Master Builders Solution recently unveiled their MasterSuna RCT 323 admixture. This single-component, powdered polymer gels the fresh concrete resulting in rapid stiffening and minimizes cement hydration and strength development. When used in most mixes, the material stiffens to a loose consistency in less than 5 minutes
Treating the returned concrete with this new admixture is easy. MasterSuna RCT 323 is packaged in water-soluble bags sized for easy dosage rates that are matched to the volume of returned material. After placing the admixture into the mixer’s drum, the driver rotates the drum for about 200 revolutions ensuring thorough dosing then discharges the treated material in the disposal area. The rapid stiffening helps minimize excess water from spreading from the pile.
The treated product has the consistency of a low controlled-strength product. It is easily scooped up by a front-end loader for use as a granular fill or even as aggregate in concrete.
Make sure when you are organising your concrete pour to measure up appropriately before ordering the concrete quantities. Whilst you need to allow 10% extra for uneven ground and formwork slippage, it is important not to over order. Return concrete is expensive, with many concrete suppliers including Holcim, Hanson, Boral and Metromix choosing to charge for return concrete as .4 cubic metres in large metropolitan areas. Adding an extra $200, $400 or even $600 to your concrete pour at the end of the day is a cost you may not have planned for. Ask the team at Concrete Shopper our preferred concrete supplier about their return concrete policies. They do not charge their customers for amounts returned up to 1 cubic metre, which ads value to their competitive prices and excellent customer service.
Cover photo courtesy of A1 Recyclers.
About A1 recyclers
What Can The Recycled Materials Be Used For?
Pride is taken in the material produced from this operation resulting in high-quality products. A few of the products in greatest demand produced by A1 Concrete
• Recyclers include road base, aggregates and panel and block manufacturing.
• Landscapers often source the crushed concrete for fill behind retaining walls.
• Plumbers and drainers come to us to source the crushed concrete to backfill trenches and find it ideal when drainage is a problem on site.
• Concreters regularly use the crushed concrete as sub-base under concrete slabs.
• Applications for crushed concrete are incredibly diverse. It also makes for a brilliant, well-drained, all-weather driveway and is much cheaper than concrete slabs.
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or would like to get in touch. Below are our opening hours, address and phone numbers.
A1 Concrete Recyclers Minto is located at 32 Saggart Field Rd Minto.
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Tags: A1 recyclers concrete admixtures concrete recycling concrete shopper return concrete road base
This article was written by marketing@concretebroker.com.au all rights reserved. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of concretebroker.com