S6W-27475

Asked by: Briggs, Miles (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Lothian)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether there is any regulatory requirement that means that public sector bodies should not use recycled aggregates in construction projects, and what plans it has to encourage the use of recycled aggregates through its procurement programme.

Answered by Martin, Gillian - Minister for Energy and the Environment

The Scottish Government are not aware of any regulations which prevent public sector bodies from using recycled aggregates in construction projects.

SEPA encourages the use of recycled aggregates and has issued guidance on their manufacture from inert waste production-of-recycled-aggregates.pdf (sepa.org.uk) . This aims to ensure recycled aggregates have the same technical and environmental performance as virgin aggregates, providing confidence to users. Recycled aggregates must also comply with the relevant performance specifications.

Transport Scotland encourages the use of recycled aggregates where appropriate and, in order to encourage and facilitate this, recently issued a guidance note on road recycling https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/51380/ts-ia-52-road-recycling.pdf .

Scottish Government guidance Client Guide to Construction Projects includes a chapter on Sustainability in Construction that endorses a circular economy approach to conserve and value all resource.

More widely, the Scottish Government has introduced an Aggregates Tax and Devolved Taxes Administration (Scotland) Bill, which will encourage the use of recycled materials in construction, by taxing the sale or use of aggregates consisting of freshly extracted rock, gravel or sand.

The Scottish Aggregates Tax, scheduled for introduction in April 2026, is intended to encourage the minimum necessary exploitation of primary aggregate, maximise the use of secondary and recycled aggregates and incentivise innovation and the development of alternative materials.

Mentions:
1: Martin, Gillian (SNP - Aberdeenshire East) sector organisation as it is largely funded and directed by the Scottish ministers. - Speech Link
2: Ruskell, Mark (Green - Mid Scotland and Fife) The move to make Zero Waste Scotland a public body and put it firmly and squarely into the public bodies - Speech Link
3: Martin, Gillian (SNP - Aberdeenshire East) sector duties associated with it. - Speech Link
4: Golden, Maurice (Con - North East Scotland) excellent starting point to move up the waste hierarchy and allow investment—whether it be private sector - Speech Link