Former builder launches mission to rescue construction waste from landfill

Nation.Cymru staff

A north Wales businessman is working with researchers at Bangor University to tackle the huge amount of waste generated by the construction industry by rescuing and reusing materials destined for landfill.

After almost three decades working in construction, Andrew Craig said he became increasingly frustrated by the amount of usable material being discarded from building sites.

That led him to launch TroCymru, a circular economy business based in Caernarfon which aims to intercept and reuse construction materials.

The company works with councils and housing providers across north Wales and tracks the environmental and social impact of the materials it saves.

Andrew said he wanted to combine practical experience with academic expertise to help grow the business and build confidence among public sector partners.

“At TroCymru, we intercept materials that would normally go into skips, things like kitchens, timber and bricks,” he said.

“I track them, reuse them, and measure the carbon and social value created. In simple terms, I stop good materials being thrown away and prove their value.

“I wanted to work with specialists at Bangor University to test the materials I use, measure their carbon impact, and build a system that councils and housing providers can trust.”

Andrew also works as a regional account manager for Travis Perkins, where he says he saw first-hand the scale of construction waste.

“A lot of that material still has value,” he said.

“At the same time, organisations are under pressure to reduce carbon and deliver social value.

“What makes TroCymru different is the data. I’m not just diverting waste — I’m tracking materials at property level and showing the carbon savings and social value created.”

The project is being supported by Professor Graham Ormondroyd at Bangor University’s BioComposites Centre.

Transformative

Professor Ormondroyd said the project had the potential to transform how the construction industry deals with waste.

“What Andrew is doing with Tro Cymru is exactly the kind of innovative thinking that can genuinely transform an industry,” he said.

“He’s not just recycling materials, he’s building a data-driven system that gives councils and housing providers real, measurable evidence of their environmental impact.

“With the support of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, this is a real opportunity to change how Wales thinks about construction waste.”

The collaboration between TroCymru and the BioComposites Centre has received £5,000 through the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund.