‘Green’ kerbs to be installed for London’s super sewer

UK construction company Tideway is to use over a kilometre of ‘green’ kerb units on London’s new Thames Tideway Tunnel.

The company recently contracted materials manufacturer Dura Products to provide its sustainable Durakerb units for the project, which aims to upgrade London’s sewer system with the construction of the new 25km sewer tunnel. 

Made from 88% recycled polymers, the Durakerb units are described as an “environmentally friendly”. Tideway chose to use the product as part of its “commitment to green construction” and sustainability.

“With a carbon footprint of just 1.06kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) per kg, it offers a far more sustainable alternative than its concrete counterpart, as well as being safer, faster, and easier to install,” Dura Products said.

Commenting on the contract award, Steve Bennett, Managing Director of Dura Products, said, “More and more frequently, we are seeing construction companies opt for the green alternative, reflecting the industry’s commitment to reducing its impact on our planet.”

Bennett added, “It’s particularly satisfying to be awarded a contract by a company that shares our ethos and are striving to make the world a greener place. We’re looking forward to assisting them in their mission to prevent millions of tonnes of sewage from entering the river each year”.

Dura, along with its partner drainage specialist Keyline Civil Specialists, will deliver the Durakerb product to the project’s site at Barn Elms site , which is one of 24 active sights along the length of the River Thames.

Tideway - a consortium made up of Allianz, Amber Infrastructure, Dalmore Capital and DIF - will install the lightweight kerbstone along the site’s main access route.

The site is said to be one of the greenest on the tunnel project, which is also known as London’s ‘super sewer’, as it will intercept, store, and then transfer sewage waste away from the River Thames. 

Designed to capture, store and then transfer “more than 95 per cent of the sewage spills that enter the river from the city’s Victorian sewer system”, it is said the Thames Tideway Tunnel will significantly improve the water quality of the river, making it a much healthier environment for wildlife to survive and flourish.