BREWSTER Brothers has called for urgent government intervention to address escalating fuel costs and shortages, warning that continued volatility risks undermining business viability and progress toward a more sustainable construction sector.
The sustainable resource management firm, backed by its membership association RMAS, is highlighting the growing financial strain caused by sharp increases in diesel prices, which is placing immediate pressure on wash plant operations which rely on the use of diesel to power plant machinery and haulage operations.
Through two wash plants in Scotland’s central belt, Brewster Brothers extract the valuable materials from construction, demolition and excavation waste, recycling the materials into a high-quality product which is repurposed into the construction industry where it is used in everything from new build homes to road infrastructure. Last year, the company marked the milestone of diverting two million tonnes of construction, demolition and excavation waste from landfill.
Brewster Brothers and RMAS are urging UK Government and Westminster representatives to engage directly with industry stakeholders and act swiftly to ensure that businesses contributing to sustainable construction are not disproportionately impacted by short-term economic shocks.
The company notes that the situation is particularly challenging given supply chain disruption and inflation caused by the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, alongside domestic regulatory changes such as the removal of entitlement to rebated diesel.
In recent weeks, industry bodies including the Road Haulage Association and the Washed Aggregates Trade Association have urged the UK Government to consider measures already introduced in the Republic of Ireland, such as temporary fuel duty derogations and targeted support for the construction sector to protect economic activity. Brewster Brothers is backing these calls for a package of interventions, including a temporary derogation allowing red diesel use for construction, recycling and manufacturing operations, alongside broader support to mitigate fuel price volatility.
Scott Brewster, director at Brewster Brothers, said, “Brewster Brothers is fully committed to supporting the transition to a circular economy and reducing embodied carbon in construction. However, the current surge in fuel costs and concerning shortages in diesel availability is creating an unsustainable operating environment for businesses like ours.
“There are currently no viable large-scale alternatives to diesel for heavy plant machinery used in recycling and aggregate washing operations. Electric-powered models at the scale required for operations like ours simply do not exist. Lower-carbon bio-fuels such as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil remain significantly more expensive and subject to the same fuel duty treatment.
“Without short-term, targeted intervention – such as a temporary reintroduction of red diesel for plant machinery or suspending the forthcoming fuel duty rise for businesses in the waste and recycling sector – there is a real risk that companies driving sustainability in the construction sector will be forced to scale back operations. That would be entirely counterproductive to the UK’s environmental ambitions.”
Drew Murdoch, chair of RMAS, added, “As chair of RMAS, I want to make clear that we stand firmly behind our members during this period of unprecedented pressure. The significant rise in fuel costs, driven by the ongoing war in the Middle East, is placing an unsustainable burden on the resource and waste management sector.
“In response, we are calling on the government to take immediate, pragmatic action by temporarily permitting the use of red diesel for plant operations. This measure would provide vital short-term relief while the sector navigates these challenging conditions.”
