All the mastic asphalt SIG Design & Technology supplies is zero carbon and contributes to the UK’s sustainable development goals.

Making mastic asphalt Zero Carbon
The initiative to make mastic asphalt zero carbon is supported by the manufacturer of the mastic asphalt, IKO group, and the Mastic Asphalt Council.

In order to make their product zero carbon, IKO have worked with CO2balance, a carbon management consultancy that runs innovative projects aimed at reducing carbon production and supporting sustainable development around the world.

This partnership has enabled IKO to offset all the carbon emissions associated with the production and supply of its mastic asphalt product, Permaphalt PMA.

SIG Design & Technology have obtained an Impact Report highlighting how choosing zero carbon mastic asphalt supplied by their company saved 94 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year and prevented the burning of 71 tonnes of wood per year, alongside many other social benefits.

To summarise some of the key facts within the report:
• Over the last few years, SIG Design & Technology sales of polymer modified mastic asphalt have produced a carbon footprint of 93.95 tonnes CO2e per annum.
• The choice of zero carbon mastic asphalt has each year
o saved 94 tonnes of CO2 emissions;
o saved 71 tonnes of wood from burning;
o Supplied 58,659 litres of clean water, and
o helped 78 people in Kenya and 27 people in Uganda.

This initiative doesn’t only mean a reduction in CO2 emissions in Kenya and Uganda. It also enables support for communities in these countries to help them improve their lives and contribute to a better environment.

You can find out more about the numbers in the report here.

Who are you helping when you specify zero carbon mastic asphalt?
The CarbonZero projects supported by the mastic asphalt they supply are an energy efficient stove project in Kenyan villages, and a borehole project in northern Uganda.

In villages in Kenya, the project builds energy saving brick cooking stoves which result in a 50% reduction in the need for firewood. Alongside reducing carbon emissions, the project also provides families with a more cost and time efficient method of cooking, helps prevent deforestation and creates knock on benefits for wildlife and flood prevention.

The reduction of indoor smoke also offers health benefits; indoor smoke is a serious problem in Africa. The World Health Organisation has dubbed indoor smoke ‘the kitchen killer’, as it is responsible for two million deaths in Africa each year. CO2balance estimates that the contribution resulted in 25 fewer incidents of serious illnesses which would be attributable to indoor smoke.

In northern Uganda, rehabilitated boreholes supply families with fresh, clean water. Access to safe drinking water is a serious issue in Africa, with an estimated 50,000 defective water supply installations. By repairing these installations, the borehole project provides a healthy water supply but also saves firewood and carbon as families don’t have to boil their drinking water.

Both projects are externally accredited through the Gold Standard Foundation, an internationally respected standard that assesses the social and community benefits of carbon saving projects. The Gold Standard quality benchmark is derived from the actions of the Kyoto Protocol and its methodology is currently endorsed by over 70 non-governmental environmental and development organizations worldwide.

Through purchasing CarbonZero Mastic Asphalt via CO2balance’s Kenyan Improved Cook Stove and Uganda Borehole Project, SIG Design & Technology are supporting 12 of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Sustainability characteristics of zero carbon mastic asphalt
Mastic Asphalt has other sustainability characteristics. One of the oldest construction products, mastic asphalt is an exceptionally durable material and offers a typical service life of 50-60 years, but often lasts considerably longer. For example, mastic asphalt waterproofing has been in service at St Paul’s Cathedral in London for over a century. The durability and robustness of the product reduces the frequency of repair and replacement, keeping emissions down long term.

IKO Permaphalt PMA, the mastic asphalt SIG Design & Technology recommend, is manufactured in the UK using 85% locally quarried limestone aggregate. The product has the potential to be 100% recycled into road surfacing and other products.

Mastic asphalt could be right product if the project requires long lived, zero carbon waterproofing.

IKO’s development director, Kerry Parker-Wray, visited Uganda last year to find out more about the borehole project. Read about her visit here.