Aecon pilots on-site plastics recycling at Burnaby overpass

Key Takeaways:

• Aecon and Light House are piloting jobsite collection of construction plastics at the Holdom Overpass, converting waste into pellets used to make InfinaNet for concrete slabs—cutting virgin plastic use and material volumes.
• Since May 2025, Aecon has diverted 1,856 kg of plastic; the partners say if the pilot remains cost-neutral and reliable, the model could be replicated on other infrastructure projects.
• The four-lane Holdom Overpass (construction started late 2024, target completion 2027) supports port-area mobility and safety, while advancing Ottawa’s zero plastic waste by 2030 goal.

The Whole Story:

Aecon Group Inc. says it is partnering with B.C. non-profit Light House on a pilot to collect and recycle plastic waste from the Holdom Overpass project in Burnaby, converting it into pellets used in a local building product. The on-site Construction Plastics Initiative collects and sorts construction plastics before sending them to a facility to be weighed and recycled into pellets. Plascon Plastics then processes the pellets as feedstock for InfinaNet, a system for Infina Technologies Inc. that reduces the volume of concrete required in slab floors of multi-unit residential buildings, lowering weight and cutting the use of first-time plastics.

“We’re pleased to support this circular economy program through the Construction Plastics Initiative, designed to reduce waste and promote the reuse of construction materials that would typically be sent to landfill,” said Prabh K. Banga, vice-president, sustainability at Aecon. “Our leadership in this initiative reflects a commitment to circularity and advancing Canadian research on construction waste solutions.” Since joining in May 2025, Aecon says it has contributed 1,856 kilograms of plastic to the program.

Light House, which is facilitating plastics removal from the Holdom site to the recycler, says the pilot is intended to quantify challenges and demonstrate how industry innovation can convert project-generated plastics into a valued resource. “The Construction Plastics Initiative is an important first step in quantifying the challenges and demonstrating how industry innovation can reduce the amount of plastic waste on projects and convert the materials that are generated into a valued resource in a way that is cost-neutral to general contractors,” said Gil Yarron, managing director at Light House. The group notes industrial, commercial and institutional sources account for a substantial share of Canada’s plastic packaging waste and says the effort aligns with federal goals to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030.

The Holdom Overpass will add a four-lane crossing that extends Holdom Avenue, with new walking and cycling connections. The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is delivering the project with the City of Burnaby, CN and the federal government as part of the Burnaby Rail Corridor Improvements Project. The partners say the overpass is intended to improve safety and local connections while supporting transportation efficiency and trade capacity for port terminals.