by | | RIG Blog Posts
At RIG, we know that sand isn’t just sand.
Whether you’re managing a construction site, maintaining an equestrian arena, preparing a golf course, or running a busy agricultural operation, performance, consistency and reliability matter.
That’s why we’ve invested in improving our naturally recovered sand process, delivering a product that works harder across multiple applications while supporting more sustainable material choices.
What’s changed, and why it matters
Our upgraded sand benefits from enhanced washing and processing, resulting in less than 3% ultra-fines (particles smaller than 63 microns), lower organic content, a drier material with controlled moisture levels, and a more consistent particle grading across every load.
These improvements aren’t just technical details; they directly influence how the material performs in real-world applications.
From a materials science perspective, reducing ultra-fines improves permeability, allowing water to drain more freely rather than being retained within the structure of the material. Lower organic content reduces the risk of decomposition over time, which can otherwise impact stability and lead to inconsistent performance. By controlling particle size distribution, we achieve better compaction behaviour and improved load-bearing capability, while a drier product makes handling, spreading and transport far more efficient.
The result is a sand that behaves much more like a primary aggregate, predictable, stable and fit for purpose.
Equestrian: managing impact and drainage
In equestrian surfaces, the balance between shock absorption, drainage and consistency is critical.
Particle shape and grading play a key role in determining shear strength and hoof stability, helping to create a surface that feels secure underfoot. With fewer fines, the material retains less water through capillary action, reducing the risk of waterlogging and uneven conditions. Consistency across loads also helps prevent patchy compaction, which can contribute to instability or injury risk.
The outcome is a surface that offers both firmness and cushioning, supporting horse welfare as well as day-to-day performance.
Construction: Predictable compaction and strength
In construction, sand plays a critical role in applications such as mortar, render, concrete mixes and service trench backfill, where consistency and predictability are key to achieving the right result.
The performance of sand in these applications is heavily influenced by its grading, moisture content and cleanliness. By controlling particle size distribution, we help ensure more reliable mix ratios, reducing the risk of variation in strength, finish or workability. Lower levels of ultra-fines prevent mixes from becoming overly cohesive or “sticky,” making them easier to work with while maintaining the intended performance.
Reduced organic content is also important, as it helps avoid contamination that can interfere with cement hydration and long-term durability. At the same time, a drier material improves batching accuracy, meaning you’re not unknowingly introducing excess water into your mix, something that can impact both strength and curing.
The result is a sand that delivers consistent behaviour across mortar, render and concrete applications, helping teams achieve a more uniform finish, reduce rework, and maintain confidence from load to load.
Golf Courses & landscaping: Drainage and surface quality
In landscaping and sports surfaces, both drainage and visual finish are essential.
By reducing fines, the sand achieves better hydraulic conductivity, allowing water to pass through rather than sitting on the surface. Consistent grading supports an even settlement, which is key to achieving a uniform, high-quality finish. At the same time, lower organic content helps prevent degradation, maintaining the integrity of the surface over time.
The result is a cleaner, more reliable material that performs consistently across seasons.
Agriculture: Moisture management and hygiene
In agricultural settings, sand performance is closely linked to moisture control and cleanliness.
Lower water retention helps maintain drier bedding and yard environments, making day-to-day management easier and more efficient. Reduced organic content also plays an important role in limiting bacterial growth, supporting cleaner and more hygienic conditions for livestock. Consistency in the material ensures it performs reliably across a range of uses, from bedding to backfill.
This creates a practical, dependable solution that supports both livestock wellbeing and operational efficiency.
Why recycled doesn’t mean compromised
There’s often a perception that recycled materials come with trade-offs, but modern processing tells a different story.
Advanced wash plants are designed to remove contaminants and tightly control fines, while rigorous testing ensures materials meet required specifications. Where needed, traceability supported by site investigation and ground investigation data adds further confidence in material provenance and suitability.
In many cases, naturally recovered sand can offer equal, and often more consistent, performance than some natural sources, particularly where variability in primary materials is higher.
Try it for yourself
We know that performance matters most when you see it in action.
That’s why free samples are available, giving you the opportunity to trial our upgraded sand in your own environment, whether that’s an arena, site, course or farm.
If you’d like to find out more or arrange a sample, please contact Rachel Young on 07849 645483 or email rachel.young@rig-uk.com
by | | RIG Blog Posts
A recent industry article has raised concerns about whether recycled aggregates could contribute to future “mundic” issues in Cornwall.
Mundic has understandably left a lasting legacy in the region, and any discussion about material quality in construction deserves to be taken seriously. However, it is equally important that conversations are grounded in current regulation, modern testing standards, and robust production processes.
We understand why mundic remains a sensitive topic in our region. However, we are equally passionate about the role recycled aggregates can play in sustainable construction, and when produced responsibly, they do not pose mundic-related risks.
Understanding the Regulatory Framework
Today’s recycled aggregate production operates in a completely different world from the practices of decades past. This includes;
- Robust regulation – The UK waste management framework requires formal classification, testing and documentation before materials can be processed or reused.
- Advanced technology – Modern washing, separation, and processing equipment that didn’t exist 30 years ago
- Rigorous testing – Laboratory analysis at every stage of production
- Complete traceability – Every load tracked from source to site
At RIG, we require appropriate classification and investigation information before accepting material. This ensures we understand precisely what is entering our facility and confirms it meets inert waste criteria.
The Source of Our Materials
Some waste streams, such as historic demolition rubble, made ground, or legacy mining materials, require particularly careful assessment and management. We work primarily with:
- Clean, inert soil and stone
- Virgin subsoil from new developments
- Materials backed by comprehensive ground investigation data
What we don’t use: Historic mining waste, contaminated fill, or any materials with unknown origins.
This isn’t just company policy – it’s fundamental to producing aggregates that meet modern construction standards.
Modern Production & Quality Control
Producing high-quality recycled aggregates suitable for use in concrete is technically complex. It requires:
- Advanced washing and separation technology
- Strict input controls
- Ongoing laboratory testing
- Documented quality assurance procedures
In addition to regulatory compliance, RIG undertakes Alkali-Silica Reactivity (ASR) testing on materials.
ASR testing assesses the potential for reactive constituents that could lead to deleterious expansion in concrete. Throughout our operational history, RIG has not recorded ASR results approaching levels that would present a structural concern.
Geological Context
Cornwall’s geology is varied and historically linked to mining activity. It is therefore correct that certain mineralised materials can present risks if improperly assessed.
However, modern aggregate production is not comparable to historic building practices that gave rise to mundic-related structural failures decades ago.
Today’s regulatory controls, testing regimes, and documented supply chains provide a completely different level of oversight.
Responsible Industry Dialogue
It is vital that public and industry conversations remain balanced, evidence-led, and technically accurate.
Responsible recycling plays an essential role in:
- Less primary quarrying – Preserving our natural landscape
- Lower carbon emissions – Shorter transport distances, reduced processing
- Circular economy growth – Keeping resources in productive use
- Local job creation – Supporting our community’s economy
At RIG, we remain confident in the suitability and compliance of our products. We are always happy to discuss our processes, testing protocols, and quality controls with customers, engineers, and regulators.
If you would like further technical information, or to learn more about how modern recycled aggregates are produced and tested, please contact our team.
by | | RIG Blog Posts
Following its recent announcement of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with the University of Plymouth, Recycle it Global (RIG) has been working closely with its technical team to progress discussions, align objectives and shape the delivery of this collaborative programme. These early engagements have reinforced the shared ambition behind the partnership: to combine applied research excellence with industrial innovation to tackle the complex challenge of contaminated marine dredged materials and unlock new, sustainable opportunities for their reuse.
Oscar Milverton Gatta, Co-Founder and CTO of Recycle it Global, says:
“RIG’s mission is to engineer solutions that address the complex challenges within the solid and fluid waste sectors, providing new life for materials once destined for landfill. This project allows RIG to accelerate the development of our marine dredging solutions by recovering usable materials and decontaminating true waste.
“The UK, and the rest of the world, have an urgent need for cost-effective and sustainable solutions to manage contaminated dredging waste generated in ports globally. With the inevitable tightening of contamination limits in the UK on the horizon, it is more important than ever that viable solutions are developed.
“This technology will be first deployed at RIG’s port in Plymouth, establishing a flagship project with the potential to scale nationally and globally. RIG is proud to be working in partnership with the University of Plymouth, the largest university in our founding city, combining cutting-edge research with industrial innovation to address one of the most pressing environmental challenges facing the maritime sector.”
RIG is developing innovative marine bioremediation technology to sustainably treat contaminated dredged materials. The approach addresses the current lack of alternative, cost-effective disposal options by transforming contaminated sediments into high-value construction aggregates, supporting both environmental protection and the circular economy.
Through the Innovate UK–funded KTP, the project will remove contaminants from dredging waste across a range of waste streams, with a particular focus on marine dredged materials. The technology will be adaptable to a variety of biochemical conditions, enabling RIG to process and land large volumes of dredged material from Plymouth and across the UK that cannot be handled through conventional disposal routes.
Samson Akpotu, KTP Associate and Bioremediation Scientist, says:
“As a KTP associate from an environmental resources background, I see this project as a genuine bridge between research and real-world impact. It sits at the interface of environmental remediation and large-scale sediment management, while remaining responsive to industrial constraints and regulatory expectations.
“The KTP enables the co-creation of knowledge with RIG by designing and testing realistic bioremediation strategies for heterogeneous dredged materials, while generating evidence to support risk reduction, regulatory compliance and beneficial reuse. Key challenges include strong spatial variability in salinity, grain size, organic matter and contaminant profiles, alongside co-contamination by hydrocarbons and heavy metals under saline conditions.
“Planning for scale-up from laboratory to pilot scale from the outset is critical, while ensuring research outputs align with company decision-making and KTP timelines. My role is to balance academic rigour with industrial practicality and communicate uncertainties clearly. This makes the KTP a significant professional development opportunity, allowing me to extend my remediation research and contribute to more sustainable sediment management in Plymouth and beyond.”
The project directly addresses the absence of safe, cost-effective disposal methods for contaminated dredged materials, transforming a regulatory challenge into a commercial opportunity. It also supports RIG’s expansion into the £20bn global dredging market by enabling the recovery and reuse of materials that would otherwise be treated as waste.
The University of Plymouth’s involvement includes experts from its School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences and the School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics. Together, they bring expertise in pollutant measurement and environmental fate, recycling and reuse of industrial waste, and the development of sustainable construction products, ensuring contaminated materials do not pose a long-term environmental threat.
Dr Lee Durndell, Associate Professor in Clean Energy Transitions at the University of Plymouth and Co-Investigator on the project, says:
“This project exemplifies how academic expertise can be translated into impactful, real-world solutions. By combining the University of Plymouth’s strengths in environmental chemistry, marine science and bioremediation with Recycle it Global’s industrial innovation, the project will address a critical challenge facing ports worldwide. Developing scalable, saltwater-adapted bioremediation technologies has the potential to transform contaminated dredged material into valuable resources, supporting both environmental protection and the circular economy. We are proud to support a flagship Plymouth-based project with clear global relevance.”
by | | RIG Blog Posts
We are proud to share that Paul Nicholls, CEO and Co-Founder of Recycle it Global, has been recognised by CEO Outlook Magazine as one of the Top 20 Visionary CEOs for 2025.
This recognition reflects Paul’s strategic leadership, long-term vision, and unwavering commitment to driving innovation and sustainability within the waste management and resources sector. Under his guidance, Recycle it Global continues to transform the most complex waste streams into high-quality recycled materials, supporting the transition to a more circular economy.
We would like to congratulate Paul on this well-deserved achievement and thank our colleagues, partners and customers for their continued support as we work together to deliver sustainable solutions and long-term value.
🔗 Read Paul’s full feature here:
https://ceooutlookmagazine.com/paul-nicholls-ceo-recycle-it-global/
🔗 Read the full magazine here:
https://ceooutlookmagazine.com/Magazine/2025/December/Visionary/CEO.html#page=34
by | | RIG Blog Posts
Last week, we were proud to host a two-day event bringing together a select group of investment fund representatives, existing supporters, and key local stakeholders.
Our guests joined us on Thursday evening for dinner, drinks, and a series of insightful presentations from the RIG leadership team, along with an update from Plymouth City Council. The evening offered valuable conversations, shared perspectives, and a chance to connect in a relaxed setting.
On Friday, we showcased the full scale of RIG’s operations with tours across all five of our sites, RIG Scorrier, RIG Roseland, RIG Newquay, RIG HQ, and our developing RIG Plymouth port facility. It was an inspiring opportunity to demonstrate our capabilities, discuss our vision, and share how each location plays a part in our long-term strategy.
The two days were incredibly positive: full of meaningful discussions, expert insights, and encouragement as we enter a period of significant growth and expansion.
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, your support and engagement is helping position RIG for an exciting next chapter.
