Over three million tonnes of plastic waste is produced in the UK every year with only a small proportion of this being recycled. Bovis Lend Lease was first in identifying potential uses in the construction industry for a material made from co-mingled polymer waste using a new process; Powder Impression Moulding (PIM). Developed using mechanical and chemical engineering knowledge, PIM enables 500% more polymer waste to be recycled than any other polymer moulding process. The first new product, EcoBoard, consists of approximately 80% comingled plastic waste and can replace plywood in temporary and, potentially, in permanent construction work..

One single production plant, with a capacity to make 300,000 EcoBoard boards from 6,000 tonnes of co-mingled polymer waste per annum, representing less than 6% of the plywood used in construction and about 0.2% of the waste plastic sent to landfill each year.

In addition to reducing costs and improving the carbon footprint of construction work, it will lead to new sustainable products which can be used in permanent works, further reducing the volume of plastic sent to landfill. The development of this exciting and innovative new product demonstrates Bovis Lend Lease’s commitment to leaving a positive legacy from the construction projects with which we are involved, and having a positive effect on our environment and the communities with which we interact through inward economic investment and upskilling of the local workforce.

Download a pdf of our complete case study on the Eco Board