A new biogenic product which could save more than 750 tonnes of CO2 is being trialled by Lancashire County Council as part of an ongoing drive to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels for road maintenance.
The council has been reducing the carbon footprint of the materials and methods it uses on the roads since 2020.
So far, this has focussed on using materials which works at lower temperatures and maximising the use of recycled asphalt to cut the amount of new fossil fuels used.
Three resurfacing schemes recently completed in Lancaster have taken this further by employing a new type of bitumen partly made from biogenic material.
Most of the new fossil fuels used in road maintenance are contained in the bitumen binder, which acts as a glue to stick together the asphalt materials used to construct the road.
The binder used in these new schemes is partly made using a biogenic component, which removes carbon from the atmosphere, storing the carbon as it grows, before being refined and blended into bitumen.
This replaces a portion of the bitumen which is derived from fossil fuels. The biogenic element used in the bitumen is sustainably sourced and does not compete with food sources.
It was used to lay 630 tonnes of asphalt on Barley Cop Lane, Malham Close, and Birkdale close in May, saving nine tonnes of CO2.
County Councillor Rupert Swarbrick, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “Our highways team has been pioneering low carbon methods for a number of years, and these new schemes represent further valuable progress towards minimising our CO2 output as far as we possibly can.
“We’re committed to improving the condition of our roads, and our teams are currently really busy making the best use of the good weather to carry out vital repairs and resurfacing across the county.
“We’re equally committed to reducing our impact on the environment, and helping Lancashire achieve our net zero target.
“We’re already expecting to save around 769 tonnes of CO2 during this year’s programme, which is a 28% saving compared with using traditional materials and methods. This new biogenic bitumen will help towards that, and something we hope to make greater use of in the future as the product is developed.”
The county council has worked with asphalt supplies Aggregate Industries to develop asphalts which use the biogenic bitumen binder suppled by Shell Construction and Road.
Traditional materials have been used for parts of the Lancaster resurfacing schemes so the performance of the biogenic binger can be directly compared, helping these companies to test and develop the product.
The council has been recognised nationally for its commitment to sustainable working practices and carob reduction in maintaining the county’s highways.
They were awarded the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation’s Climate Action Award last year in recognition of its Highways Decarbonisation Strategy.
