Circular Highways – How Do We Get There?
15th June 2026
By Phil Sutton, Founder of Duraproducts
The UK’s highways network keeps the country moving. Yet the materials traditionally used to build and maintain our roads carry a significant environmental burden.
As the UK races towards its net-zero goals, the highways sector is facing a new challenge. The conversation is no longer just about performance and cost, but now on emissions and the whole-life carbon impact of materials used across the network.
The push for change is also coming from government policy. The latest Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan highlight the opportunities for industries tackling climate change, while encouraging industries to reduce waste, increase reuse and keep valuable materials in circulation for longer.
This appetite for change is growing across the industry too, as organisations such as National Highways are actively encouraging innovation across the supply chain. The search is on for new ideas to focus on improving worker safety, increasing asset resilience and introducing modern materials capable of delivering long-term performance with a lower environmental impact.
Circular materials moving into the mainstream
What if yesterday’s plastic waste could help build tomorrow’s roads?
That’s exactly what recycled polymer materials are making possible: by turning waste plastics into durable infrastructure products, they help reduce landfill waste while supporting a more circular approach to construction.
But sustainability isn’t the only piece to this, as the polymer systems are significantly lighter than regular materials. This reduces manual handling risks, limits the need for lifting equipment and improves site safety. They can also be installed much faster, helping maintenance teams complete work quicker and keep road disruption to a minimum.
There are also health and safety advantages with the reduction in cutting and breaking of traditional materials, which helps reduce dust generation, including exposure to respirable crystalline silica, while lighter components can help lower the risk of strain injuries.
Delivering practical infrastructure solutions
For over two decades, Duraproducts has been proving that plastic waste can do far more than sit in landfills.
Our range of kerbing and combined drainage solutions are manufactured using recycled materials sourced from everyday waste streams, including plastic bottles and caps. To date, more than 109 million waste polymer items have been given second life in highways and infrastructure projects.
Take the N59 Moycullen Bypass in County Galway project as an example; recycled polymer combined kerb drainage systems were installed to capture runoff directly, helping remove water efficiently from the road while supporting long-term road performance and safety.
Standards evolving to support adoption
If the materials change, the standards need to shift as well. Updates to the Manual of Contract Documents for Highway Works (MCHW) now recognise polymer kerbs within national specifications, marking a significant shift in the industry.
Polymer kerbs are now recognised within the Manual of Contract Documents for Highway Works (MCHW), while updated BBA HAPAS approvals provide independent assurance on durability, performance and long-term reliability.
It’s an important milestone and a clear sign that circular materials are moving from alternative options to mainstream highway solutions.
A collaborative route to lower carbon roads
The challenge now for highway sectors is getting it used on a larger scale.
Forward thinking frameworks, clearer material specifications and closer collaboration across the supply chain will be key to accelerating the use of sustainable materials in highway projects.
Recycled polymer systems represent what is possible by combining circular economy principles with improved safety and faster installation. They show how the highways sector can deliver reliable infrastructure while progressing towards a low-carbon future.
With the right specifications, procurement frameworks and industry collaboration, solutions such as recycled polymers can help deliver safer, lower-carbon and more resilient highways for the future.