GRIDCO Resources · Construction & demolition
£10m funding secured to recycle demolition waste into cement
By GRIDCO Waste Management ·
Reclinker’s investment could help turn recovered cement paste into a valuable construction material. For contractors, the practical message is to understand waste streams and protect their recycling potential.
What has been announced?
Reclinker has secured £10 million in Series A investment to expand its process for turning material recovered from demolition waste into new cement ingredients. The funding was reported by letsrecycle.com on 6 October 2026.
The round was co-led by Clean Growth Fund and AP Ventures, with participation from the Development Bank of Wales, Kibo Invest and existing investors including Zero Carbon Capital and Cambridge Enterprise.
The investment is intended to support commercial scale-up in Cardiff and deployment at further electric arc furnace sites in Europe and the United States. This is funding for Reclinker’s business and technology, not a grant scheme for individual demolition contractors.
How can demolition waste become cement?
Concrete contains aggregates held together by a cement-based binder. Reclinker’s technology, developed at the University of Cambridge, recovers used cement paste from construction and demolition waste and processes it into clinker, the principal ingredient used to make cement.
The process uses electric arc furnaces already employed to recycle steel. It allows a cementitious material to be produced alongside recycled steel, rather than relying on a separate conventional cement kiln.
Reclinker says its approach avoids the need for newly quarried limestone and fossil-fuel-fired kiln heat. That does not mean that mixed demolition waste can simply be tipped into a furnace: material recovery, preparation and suitability remain important.
Why the construction industry is watching
Conventional clinker production releases carbon dioxide both through heating limestone and through the chemical reaction that converts it. Recovering an existing cement ingredient offers a different route and could reduce demand for virgin raw materials.
On its website, Reclinker claims emissions reductions of more than 50% compared with traditional cement and cost parity with conventional products. These are the company’s claims, not guarantees for every project. Actual outcomes depend on the production process, energy supply, transport and the product being compared.
There is also a supply-chain reason for interest. Blast-furnace slag has long been used in lower-carbon cement blends. As steel production shifts towards electric arc furnaces, that traditional source is expected to become less available. Recycled cement materials could help provide an alternative.
Progress towards commercial production
According to the funding report, Reclinker has already produced thousands of tonnes of material at 7 Steel UK’s Cardiff site and secured its first commercial sales.
That is a meaningful step beyond a laboratory demonstration, but the announcement is not evidence that the process is available at every waste facility. Contractors should confirm actual acceptance criteria, treatment routes and local availability before specifying a destination for their waste.
What North East contractors can do now
For builders, demolition teams and property managers in Blyth, Newcastle, Northumberland and Teesside, the useful lesson is not to wait for a new technology before improving waste handling. Keeping suitable materials identifiable and avoiding unnecessary contamination can preserve more recycling options.
Before arranging a skip or collection, discuss the following with your waste provider:
- Describe the material accurately: concrete, brick, soil, timber, plasterboard and mixed waste have different acceptance requirements.
- Ask whether concrete and other mineral waste should be separated, and what contamination limits apply at the receiving facility.
- Identify hazardous or suspect materials, including asbestos, before collection and arrange appropriate specialist assessment and handling.
- Check the waste carrier’s registration and the receiving site’s authorisation; keep the appropriate transfer or consignment records.
- Ask for evidence of the actual treatment route before making project-specific recycling or carbon-reduction claims.
GRIDCO’s view: innovation needs good waste planning
The investment shows why demolition waste deserves to be treated as more than an undifferentiated load. New recovery processes depend on understanding what a site produces and where those materials can legitimately go.
GRIDCO can help you discuss skip hire and waste-collection arrangements for your North East project. We are not claiming a partnership with Reclinker, access to its production process or that material collected by GRIDCO will become new cement.
For businesses reviewing their existing setup, the FREE GRIDCO Waste MOT is a practical, no-obligation, 20-minute site review. It is not a statutory compliance certificate or legal audit, and any potential savings are not guaranteed. Request a visit and GRIDCO will contact you to confirm a time.
Sources and reporting note
Original GRIDCO commentary. Company claims are attributed; this article does not establish local availability of the technology.
Discuss your project with GRIDCO · FREE GRIDCO Waste MOT · Back to Resources
Frequently asked questions
Who secured the £10 million funding?
Reclinker secured the Series A investment, reported on 6 October 2026. Clean Growth Fund and AP Ventures co-led the round, with participation from other investors. It is investment in Reclinker, not a grant programme for demolition contractors.
Does the process recycle all mixed demolition waste?
No. The technology recovers used cement paste from construction and demolition waste and processes it into a cement ingredient using electric arc furnaces employed in steel recycling. Suitable recovery, preparation and feedstock quality remain important.
What is the difference between cement and concrete?
Cement is a binder used to make concrete, which also contains aggregates and water. Reclinker’s process targets the used cement paste, rather than simply turning every component of demolished concrete into new cement.
Are the carbon savings guaranteed on my project?
No. Reclinker’s claim of more than 50% lower emissions is a company-level comparison, not a guarantee for every project. Actual results depend on production, energy, transport and the product being compared. Ask for evidence before making project-specific claims.
Can GRIDCO send my waste to Reclinker?
This article does not claim a GRIDCO partnership with Reclinker or access to its process. Discuss your actual materials with GRIDCO and confirm the available authorised treatment route and acceptance requirements before arranging a collection.
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Article link: https://gridcowastemanagement.com/resources/demolition-waste-cement-funding