Highlights
- Create sustainability reports allowing customers to track their impact per order.
- Are rewilding a site which was previously a shale oil bing, by planting native grasses and trees.
- Have a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Heriot-Watt University, to devise higher value applications for the clay by-product.
- Have recently participated in a best practice video series.
- Saved thousands of tonnes of CO2e emissions from being generated each year, through backloads, landfill diversion, substitutions to virgin quarried materials, and glass recycling
Brewster Brothers, based in Livingston and Cumbernauld, produce recycled aggregates from construction, demolition and excavation waste, demonstrating how sustainability creates a more resilient business.
Brewster Brothers was founded as a circular business model, providing sustainable resource management to the construction industry. Construction, demolition, and excavation waste is taken and processed through a static wash plant to produce quality recycled aggregates (sand and gravel) for use in the construction industry. They have produced an Environmental Product Declaration for recycled aggregates. This was achieved by first carrying out a Life Cycle Assessment which was independently verified. They continually review their processes to fully close the loop on not only the recycling process but the business operations too.
The business has a sustainability strategy to guide decisions and educate staff to make sustainable and circular decisions. Less than 1% of waste coming on to the site is unable to be processed. 90% of water used in the process is cleaned and recirculated into the wash plant process. Brewster Brothers creates sustainability reports that allow customers to track their exact impact per order or project.
Since opening, Brewster Brothers and their customers have diverted over 1.3 million tonnes of construction, demolition and excavation waste from landfill, created over 1 million tonnes of recycled aggregates and avoided 70,000 tonnes of GHG emissions. Between 2018 and 2023 turnover has grown from £1.20m to just over £6m. This growth is down to Brewster Brothers’ circular business model and sustainable products and services supporting customers to reach their net zero and zero waste ambitions as sustainability weightings in tenders increases.
The business has worked tirelessly to educate and support the construction industry to transition to a circular economy through marketing, PR. Educating through content, partnering with likeminded business, setting new benchmarks and innovating products and processes. Every department is empowered to bring forward their suggestions to improving the business’ circularity through the Teams sustainability group.
The Circular Scotland Award recognises businesses that can demonstrate a strong commitment to implementing the principles of a circular economy, ensuring materials are retained within productive use, in a high value state, for as long as possible.
“We are very honoured by our win of the VIBES Circular Scotland Award. It is a welcome recognition of our sustainability strategy that works to both improving operations, whilst protecting the environment for future generation. VIBES is a great incubator for sharing good practices and we hope that others will be inspired to make their own positive changes.” Scott Brewster, Managing Director