Driving carbon out of UK roads: Materials innovation for a net zero road network

Asphalt, bitumen, and other traditional materials have long been associated with energy-intensive processes and significant carbon outputs. However, in many applications, they are the only viable options that offer the durability and workability required to lay a modern road surface – or, at least, they were.

Change is underway. Innovations in low-carbon binders, recycled polymers, and bio-based additives are enabling infrastructure teams to engineer carbon out of their projects without compromising durability or performance. These developments are not theoretical. They are already being deployed on UK highways and local road networks in the here and now, offering measurable CO₂ savings and extending asset life.

At the centre of this shift are advanced material solutions from suppliers like ACI Group, working in partnership with contractors, specifiers, and policymakers to accelerate the sector’s transition to circular and low-carbon construction by bringing innovations from around the world to UK roads.

Decarbonising at the material level 

For years, sustainability in the UK road sector has generally focused on energy efficiency at the production and laying stages. This manifests in initiatives to optimise plant performance, transport logistics, and site practices such as the National Highways Net Zero Roadmap. While these remain crucial, so too is the next frontier: materials innovation. 

The embodied carbon of binders, aggregates, and modifiers represents a significant proportion of the overall footprint of a road. A tonne of conventional bitumen, for example, can generate between 200kg to over 600kg of CO₂e in production alone[1]. Reducing this carbon-intensive input offers one of the clearest pathways to achieving net zero ambitions across the network.

Thanks to new binder chemistries, warm mix technologies, and recycled content solutions, it is now feasible to lower carbon at the source. Crucially, this can be done while maintaining or, in some cases, even improving the performance of the surface in question.

Low-carbon emulsions and warm mix technologies

One of the most immediate areas of progress lies in emulsion technology. Bitumen emulsions already offer environmental advantages over traditional hot bitumen by enabling lower mixing and laying temperatures, which reduce energy demand and associated emissions, and their increasing use supports the recent surge in road surface dressing[2].

The latest generation of low-carbon emulsions goes further, incorporating bio-based fluxing agents and optimised formulations that reduce the proportion of fossil-based bitumen required. These innovations support temperature reductions of up to 40 °C, enabling significant energy savings during production.

Similarly, warm mix asphalt (WMA) - a technology proven in markets across Europe and North America - is increasingly being adopted on UK roads. By allowing asphalt to be produced and compacted at lower temperatures, WMA can cut CO₂ emissions by up to 15–20% compared to conventional hot mix. Lower temperatures also translate to better working conditions on site, reduced fume exposure, and faster opening times for high-traffic routes. Ultimately, this all leads to the most important benefits including improved safety and satisfaction among the public.

For contractors and local authorities under pressure to meet net zero commitments without inflating budgets, low-carbon emulsions and WMA present a practical, ready-to-deploy solution.

Circularity through recycled polymers

Beyond energy reductions, circular material streams are set to play a major role in carbon reduction strategies. Post-consumer and post-industrial plastic waste can be converted into high-performance polymer modifiers that enhance asphalt durability while simultaneously diverting material from landfill or incineration. 

ACI Group and ecopals’ EcoFlakes, for example, are recycled polymer additives engineered to blend seamlessly with bitumen. When incorporated into the mix, EcoFlakes increase rutting resistance, flexibility, and fatigue life, creating surfaces that last longer while requiring fewer interventions over their lifecycle.

This durability dividend is critical. Extending asset life is one of the most powerful ways to reduce whole-life carbon. Fewer resurfacings mean less material, energy, and labour are used over the lifetime of a road, helping authorities meet decarbonisation targets while also cutting long-term costs.

By unlocking a wider specification window and enhancing resistance to temperature fluctuations, recycled polymer modifiers also support the adaptation of UK roads to more extreme weather events - an increasingly urgent consideration given the effects of climate change are growing ever closer to home.

Bio-based additives and alternative binders 

The drive to decarbonise road materials is also fostering rapid development of bio-based binders and additives. Derived from renewable sources such as plant oils, lignin (an organic polymer derived from plant cells[3]), and other biomass streams, these next-generation ingredients can partially replace fossil fuel-derived bitumen, cutting embodied carbon while maintaining the viscoelastic properties critical for asphalt performance in a variety of environments.

These products are not a distant prospect, they’re already being piloted in UK local authority schemes, often in combination with warm mix technologies or recycled modifiers to amplify carbon savings. Early results indicate that bio-based additives can reduce binder-related emissions by up to 50%, depending on dosage and formulation.

For specifiers seeking to align road projects with circular principles and increasingly stringent environmental procurement standards, these materials offer a compelling route to tangible carbon savings backed by real-world performance data.

Policy and procurement pressures

These innovations are emerging at a pivotal moment. As net zero deadlines inch closer day-by-day, policy and procurement frameworks are increasingly rewarding lower-carbon solutions.

The UK government’s Net Zero Highways strategy places emphasis on low-carbon materials and circular infrastructure and local authority carbon budgets are becoming a decisive factor in project approvals. This means major contractors and asset owners are embedding Scope 3 emissions reductions into their supply chain requirements.

Materials that deliver verifiable CO₂ reductions are rapidly going from an environmental selling point to a commercial and compliance necessity. 

For suppliers like ACI Group, this represents both an opportunity and a responsibility: to help partners navigate the fast-evolving regulatory landscape, provide data-backed product solutions, and collaborate on trials that bring innovation from lab scale to live carriageways.

Engineering a net zero road network together

Achieving a net zero road network is a complex challenge, but material innovation is one of the most powerful levers the sector can pull. From low-carbon emulsions and warm mix asphalt to recycled polymers like EcoFlakes and bio-based additives, practical solutions are already available to cut emissions, enhance performance, and extend the life of UK roads. 

As a trusted distribution partner, ACI Group works closely with contractors, engineers, and policymakers to make these innovations a reality on the ground. Through technical support, supply chain expertise, and collaborative project delivery, ACI Group is helping to turn net zero ambitions into engineered outcomes.

The future of the UK’s road network will be built not just with asphalt and aggregates, but with smarter, lower-carbon materials.

If you’re ready to explore how material innovation can help you meet your decarbonisation targets, extend asset life, and future-proof your next project, talk to the ACI team today. Together, we can engineer carbon out of the UK’s roads, one mile at a time.

[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1361920924003961

[2] https://jerseyeveningpost.com/motoring/2024/12/04/uks-road-surface-dressing-up-by-32-million-square-metres-year-on-year/

[3] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0950061822034298