Masonry products manufacturer Lignacite has launched what is claimed to be the world’s first “carbon negative” building block.

Named “The Carbon Buster”, the new block is a British innovation, developed by Brandon-based Lignacite in partnership with Carbon8 Aggregates.

The Carbon Buster incorporates more than 50% recycled aggregates and combines this with carbonated aggregates, which Carbon8 derives from by-products from waste-to-energy plants.

The result is a high performing masonry product, and the first which can be said to have captured more carbon dioxide than is emitted during its production.

Carbon8 technical director Paula Carey, said that, building on research by the University of Greenwich’s School of Science, the firm had identified an end use for thermal residues from waste to energy plants, by mixing the residue with water and carbon dioxide.

Carbon8 has now built a £1million carbonation plant in Brandon, close to Lignacite’s own site, where, the residue is carbonated, mixed with binders and fillers before being pelletised and used as a key ingredient in the Carbon Buster block, along with sand, gravel and other recycled waste.

Lignacite chief executive Giles de Lotbiniere said: “We were the first block manufacturer in the country to introduce recycled and waste materials into our products, and one of our ranges already contained 90% waste materials.

“However, we firmly believe that constant innovation is key to creating a more sustainable future for everyone.”

“We are now working with a number of forward thinking architects and specifiers and are incredibly excited to be taking this strategy to the next level with the launch of the Carbon Buster.

“With the Government’s commitment to zero carbon homes, we are confident the Carbon Buster has an important role to play in helping to meet the 2016 targets.”