CONSTRUCTION firm The Sheehan Group hosted a group of recycling leaders as part of a two-day international conference.

More than 100 delegates of the Circular Economy Symposium visited the firm’s recycling plant at Stanton Harcourt as part of an international conference.

Visitors from countries including India, America, Norway, France and Ireland, were invited to the advanced recycling plant and were treated to a detailed tour. The water treatment facility is used to wash construction and demolition waste, destined for landfill, turning it into reusable aggregate.

In the past five years The Sheehan Group has saved 500,000 tonnes of waste from UK landfill sites via the plant. Half of the recycled material is used in its own construction projects and the rest is sold to contractors.

Tara Sheehan, finance director of the Sheehan Group, said: “The circular economy is a concept in which materials are produced to be constantly recycled or re-used. It is growing industry and crucial to sustainability of the planet. It is incumbent on us all to ensure we extract maximum value from resources and preserve natural resources. We were proud to show so many respected colleagues from the global recycling industry around the plant and demonstrate what is being achieved in the sector in the UK.”

Managing director of The Sheehan Group Chris Sheehan added: “We installed the recycling plant five years ago and it has enabled us to take greater control of our business and integrate our recycled products into construction products.”

The site visit followed a series of lectures and seminars in London.