The manufacture of precast concrete is notoriously detrimental to the environment and plays a key role in the production of harmful CO2 emissions produced by the construction industry.

After coal-powered electricity, use of cement is the next biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, accounting for approximately 5% of annual anthropogenic global CO2 production, with one-tonne of CO2 produced for every tonne of cement.

Milbank has already been proactive in adapting processes to work towards carbon neutrality with the introduction of a wood pellet fuelled biomass boiler and electric vehicle charging points, with the next part of their future sustainability strategy focussed on the reduction of diesel use within r site operations.

With immediate 100% of production machinery, including fork trucks, loading shovels, shunters, dumpers, cherry pickers and prestressed concrete manufacturing machines, will transition from the use of regular diesel to HVO – a hydro-treated vegetable oil biofuel that boasts CO2 reductions of up to 90%.

Chairman, Sean Milbank, said: “We believe that as custodians of this type of business, we have a responsibility and duty to invest in technologies and processes to reduce our impact on the environment and hopefully encourage our customers, suppliers and competitors to follow suit”.

HVO meets EN 15940 standards and the Fuel Quality Directive 2009/30/EC Annex II, so can be used as a direct, drop-in alternative to mineral diesel. It can used without changes to infrastructure or capital expenditure, removing cost barriers and enabling a practical step towards decarbonisation. Synthesised from waste fats and vegetable oils, it is renewable, sustainable and 100% biodegradable, mixing well with pre-existing diesel. It has been readily approved by many of the large OEM engine manufacturers and boasts an impressive storage life of up to 10-years.