Lötscher enhancing sustainability of construction sites with new soil washing plant
Lucerne/Malters - The Lötscher Plus Group has put a new soil washing plant into operation in Malters. The technology allows excavated soil to be treated and processed for recycling. The aim here is to cut CO2 emissions on construction sites and therefore enhance the sustainability of construction projects.
The Lötscher Plus Gruppe has implemented a new soil washing plant in Malters in the Swiss canton of Lucerne. According to a press release, the system has now been officially put into operation after taking several years to build. With this new soil washing plant, the company is seeking to promote a circular economy and reduce CO2 emissions.
From the perspective of the Lucerne-based civil engineering company, the processing and production plant for mineral construction materials represents an investment in making the construction industry more sustainable: «We produce less waste, which in turn ensures that existing landfill volumes are preserved», as Roman Lötscher, owner and Chairman of the Board of Directors, comments in the press release.
The centerpiece of the new plant is a technology for treating, washing and processing demolition and excavation material from construction sites. In the Lucerne region alone, up to 100 tons of such materials are generated every hour. Moving forwards, the aim is for this excavated soil to be processed more sustainably so that it can be reused in future construction projects. After being washed, the individual components could be repurposed in concrete production or used as gravel and sand in residential and infrastructure projects. Excess sludge can reportedly be pressed into a filter cake and, depending on the level of contamination, is either reused or disposed of. According to the information, rainwater is used to wash the material; this can then also be recycled.
The plant is the only one of its kind in Central Switzerland and is seen as «an important addition to our portfolio», according to Hubert Zimmermann, Managing Director of REBA Baustoffe AG, which is part of the Lötscher group and was founded on July 1, 2025, as the replacement for BM-Betonwerk Malters AG.
According to the press release, the project also encompasses the construction of two silos for cement and additives at the existing concrete plant. These are required for the production of special concrete grades, the company explains. Moreover, the plant features a newly constructed component storage facility, which is supplied from the processing plant via a conveyor belt system located above ground.
