MPA report shows progress on precast sustainability

The UK precast and masonry sector has made measurable progress on decarbonisation, waste reduction, and resource efficiency, according to the Precast Concrete and Masonry Sustainability Report 2024 launched by MPA Precast at this year’s Precast & Masonry Expo.

Based on 2023 data, the report highlights record use of low carbon cementitious materials, a sharp rise in renewable energy use, and the lowest levels of landfill waste recorded since reporting began. The findings reflect the sector’s alignment with the UK Concrete Sustainable Construction Strategy and its commitment to long-term net zero goals.

According to the report, over 62% of electricity used in precast and masonry manufacturing in 2023 came from renewable sources—up significantly from previous years. Use of low carbon supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), such as fly ash, GGBS and limestone fines, reached 21.3% across all cements, contributing to a 76 kg CO₂e/m³ reduction in the embodied carbon of reinforced precast products compared to 2016 levels.

Graham Sargeant, chair of the Precast and Masonry Sustainability and Environment Committee, said: “We’re seeing real and widespread progress. In 2023, 82% of structural precast manufacturers used SCMs regularly and in significant quantities, and 23% of members launched new green product lines.”

Environmental management and circularity also showed improvement. Over 99% of manufacturing waste was recycled or reused, while average waste to landfill dropped to just 260 g/tonne of product. Recycled and secondary aggregates made up 11.9% of total aggregate use. Mains water use per tonne fell by 7.5% compared to 2015.

Biodiversity and site stewardship initiatives expanded significantly, with 21.4% of sites implementing formal action plans—up from just 2.5% three years ago. Social outcomes were also a focus: nearly 90% of reporting companies made charitable donations, and member firms contributed an average of 5.5 weeks of voluntary community work each.

Third-party sustainability certification is increasing. In 2023, 89.3% of production was covered by ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 management systems, while BES 6001 responsible sourcing certification rose to 86% of production. Nearly a third of members now have third-party verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).

Carbon intensity metrics were updated to align with the UK Concrete Strategy’s broader GHG reporting. Although reported emissions rose slightly to 11.42 kg CO₂e/tonne (up from previous CO₂-only data), this change reflects the inclusion of all greenhouse gases and is not attributed to increased energy use.

MPA Precast and MPA Masonry represent over 130 companies across the UK precast industry. The report is the latest evidence of their contribution to net zero, and will support specifiers, auditors and clients in Whole Life Carbon Assessments using updated data across A1–A3 (cradle-to-gate), A4 (transport), and A5.3 (waste).

The full report is available from the MPA Precast and MPA Masonry websites.