
Blog Sustainable access: Smarter products for a cleaner future 06 June 2025 Paul Thompson Technical Specification Manager When we think about the future of civil engineering, we don’t just see roads, covers and chambers - we see an opportunity to reduce carbon, prevent pollution, and protect our environment from the ground up. We’re building sustainability into everything we design, supply and support. Whether it’s recyclable materials, longer-lasting covers or solutions that stop pollutants entering our drainage systems, we believe smarter infrastructure is key to a cleaner tomorrow. And it all starts right here. Right now. Right beneath our feet. Top blogs Why ironwork Group matters just as much as Class and why it’s time we paid attention to both How ironwork specification affects potholes, and what it means for local authorities? Planning budgets? Is it time to change your focus on ironworks? Do all E600 Manhole covers perform better than D400? Addressing the growing crisis of surface water infiltration and foul water leakage in sewer networks Sustainability in steel Our steel access covers are a great example of how sustainable thinking can be built into everyday products. Manufactured from 100% recyclable steel, they’re designed to last, with excellent corrosion resistance and high strength-to-weight ratio. Available in a variety of solid top, block infill and recessed tray options, our steel covers help clients meet sustainability goals without compromising on quality or compliance. Why choose steel? Recyclable and environmentally responsible Lightweight for safe installation and lower emissions Long-lasting, corrosion-resistant performance Single, double and triple sealed designs available Explore our steel access cover range Stopping odour and flood risk at the source Uncontrolled odours, air escape and water ingress are more than just a nuisance - they’re a risk to public health, the environment and infrastructure performance. That’s why our sealing systems are engineered to stop these problems at the surface. Limits unwanted odour egress and sewerage discharge Helps meet drainage and pollution standards Ideal for highways, residential developments and utilities Minimises ongoing maintenance and complaints Reduces unwanted surface water infiltration which could overwhelm the system Discover flood and odour control solutions Flood and odour control Retrofittable sealing plates Unite manhole covers are fully compatible with our range of No Leak and Low Leak sealing plates, thanks to the built-in internal accessory receiver. This internal skirt provides a sealing face to mate with different specifications of seal plate, depending on the application requirements (only available on products with reference ending in "/KUE"). This simple solution provides easy, effective and retrofittable flood and odour control to access chambers. It does not need to be specified at point of order, unlike nearly all flood and odour plate alternatives. Achieves compliance to Class 3 leak tightness performance in accordance with Table 1 of Section 2 within WIS 4-26-01 when fitted with no leak (/NL) sealing plate. Seal plates A simple solution to stopping raw sewage pollution Ironwork designed to last longer Manhole cover failures lead to disruption, operator risk and costly replacements - and they carry a carbon cost too. That’s why our Unite and Highway manhole covers and gully gratings are engineered for resilience. Certified to BS EN 124 and CD 534, they’re built to eliminate common modes of failure and deliver the longest life and lowest whole-life cost in their class. The result? Less replacement, less waste and a better return on your environmental investment. Reduces failure rates and reactive maintenance costs Fully recyclable at the end of their service life High fatigue resistance under heavy traffic Trusted by highways and utilities across the UK Explore the Unite range Explore the Highway range The Sea Starts Here The fight against pollution begins on our streets Every year, thousands of tonnes of plastic and pollutants enter our waterways from the roads we travel on every day. Oil, rubber, litter and microplastics gather on road surfaces, and are washed into drainage systems by rain - ultimately finding their way into rivers, seas and oceans. That’s why we launched our Sea Starts Here campaign. It’s a simple message with a powerful impact: what goes down the drain can end up in the sea. By working with local authorities, developers and communities, we’re helping to raise awareness - and, crucially, take action. Our product innovations are designed to support this mission. Solutions like the Armadillo Silt Shield help trap debris at the surface before it enters the drainage system. Sealing plates prevent water and pollutants from escaping chambers, and eco-friendly steel and ironwork choices reduce lifecycle emissions and waste. Together, our products help: Reduce silt, contaminants entering the drainage systems Reduces blockages and flooding Improve long-term drainage network performance Support sustainable urban development Learn more about Sea Starts Here From awareness to action Our infrastructure choices have a real impact - on carbon, on communities, and on the health of our rivers and seas. By choosing Wrekin’s sustainable access & drainage solutions, you’re investing in more than just covers and gratings. You’re contributing to a cleaner, smarter and more resilient future - one installation at a time. Let’s build a better world together. Because the sea starts here. See our full range of access solutions Latest news and blogs Article Taking The Sea Starts Here to the next level with Canal & River Trust We are pleased to announce a new partnership with the UK’s largest canal charity, Canal & River Trust, as part of our commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. Jun 5, 2025 Sustainable access: Smarter products for a cleaner future Blog 06 June 2025 When we think about the future of civil engineering, we don’t just see roads, covers and chambers - we see an opportunity to reduce carbon, prevent pollution, and protect our environment from the ground up. Why ironwork Group matters just as much as Class and why it’s time we paid attention to both Blog 06 June 2025 When it comes to specifying ironwork, it’s often assumed that selecting the right Class under BS EN 124 is enough to ensure a long-lasting and compliant installation. But the reality is that’s only part of the story. The Importance of Safety Grilles in Modern Ironwork Installations Blog 24 April 2025 When it comes to ironwork installations, surface-level strength and durability often steal the spotlight. But what’s happening beneath the cover is just as important - especially when it comes to keeping people safe. That’s where safety grilles, also known as safety grids, come into play. Latest news and blogs Share this page

Blog

Sustainable access: Smarter products for a cleaner future

06 June 2025

Paul Thompson

Technical Specification Manager

When we think about the future of civil engineering, we don’t just see roads, covers and chambers - we see an opportunity to reduce carbon, prevent pollution, and protect our environment from the ground up.

We’re building sustainability into everything we design, supply and support. Whether it’s recyclable materials, longer-lasting covers or solutions that stop pollutants entering our drainage systems, we believe smarter infrastructure is key to a cleaner tomorrow.

And it all starts right here. Right now. Right beneath our feet.

Top blogs

Why ironwork Group matters just as much as Class and why it’s time we paid attention to both

How ironwork specification affects potholes, and what it means for local authorities?

Planning budgets? Is it time to change your focus on ironworks?

Do all E600 Manhole covers perform better than D400?

Addressing the growing crisis of surface water infiltration and foul water leakage in sewer networks

Sustainability in steel

Our steel access covers are a great example of how sustainable thinking can be built into everyday products.

Manufactured from 100% recyclable steel, they’re designed to last, with excellent corrosion resistance and high strength-to-weight ratio.

Available in a variety of solid top, block infill and recessed tray options, our steel covers help clients meet sustainability goals without compromising on quality or compliance.

Why choose steel?

Recyclable and environmentally responsible
Lightweight for safe installation and lower emissions
Long-lasting, corrosion-resistant performance
Single, double and triple sealed designs available

Explore our steel access cover range

Stopping odour and flood risk at the source

Uncontrolled odours, air escape and water ingress are more than just a nuisance - they’re a risk to public health, the environment and infrastructure performance. That’s why our sealing systems are engineered to stop these problems at the surface.

Limits unwanted odour egress and sewerage discharge
Helps meet drainage and pollution standards
Ideal for highways, residential developments and utilities
Minimises ongoing maintenance and complaints
Reduces unwanted surface water infiltration which could overwhelm the system

Discover flood and odour control solutions

Exploded render of Unite D400 manhole cover showing Internal accessory receiver

Flood and odour control

Retrofittable sealing plates

Unite manhole covers are fully compatible with our range of No Leak and Low Leak sealing plates, thanks to the built-in internal accessory receiver. This internal skirt provides a sealing face to mate with different specifications of seal plate, depending on the application requirements (only available on products with reference ending in "/KUE").

This simple solution provides easy, effective and retrofittable flood and odour control to access chambers. It does not need to be specified at point of order, unlike nearly all flood and odour plate alternatives.

Achieves compliance to Class 3 leak tightness performance in accordance with Table 1 of Section 2 within WIS 4-26-01 when fitted with no leak (/NL) sealing plate.

Seal plates A simple solution to stopping raw sewage pollution

Ironwork designed to last longer

Manhole cover failures lead to disruption, operator risk and costly replacements - and they carry a carbon cost too.

That’s why our Unite and Highway manhole covers and gully gratings are engineered for resilience. Certified to BS EN 124 and CD 534, they’re built to eliminate common modes of failure and deliver the longest life and lowest whole-life cost in their class.

The result? Less replacement, less waste and a better return on your environmental investment.

Reduces failure rates and reactive maintenance costs
Fully recyclable at the end of their service life
High fatigue resistance under heavy traffic
Trusted by highways and utilities across the UK

Explore the Unite range Explore the Highway range

The Sea Starts Here

The fight against pollution begins on our streets

Every year, thousands of tonnes of plastic and pollutants enter our waterways from the roads we travel on every day. Oil, rubber, litter and microplastics gather on road surfaces, and are washed into drainage systems by rain - ultimately finding their way into rivers, seas and oceans.

That’s why we launched our Sea Starts Here campaign.

It’s a simple message with a powerful impact: what goes down the drain can end up in the sea. By working with local authorities, developers and communities, we’re helping to raise awareness - and, crucially, take action.

Our product innovations are designed to support this mission. Solutions like the Armadillo Silt Shield help trap debris at the surface before it enters the drainage system. Sealing plates prevent water and pollutants from escaping chambers, and eco-friendly steel and ironwork choices reduce lifecycle emissions and waste.

Together, our products help:

Reduce silt, contaminants entering the drainage systems
Reduces blockages and flooding
Improve long-term drainage network performance
Support sustainable urban development

Learn more about Sea Starts Here

From awareness to action

Our infrastructure choices have a real impact - on carbon, on communities, and on the health of our rivers and seas.

By choosing Wrekin’s sustainable access & drainage solutions, you’re investing in more than just covers and gratings. You’re contributing to a cleaner, smarter and more resilient future - one installation at a time.

Let’s build a better world together. Because the sea starts here.

See our full range of access solutions

Latest news and blogs

Wrekin working in partnership with Canal & River Trust

Article

Taking The Sea Starts Here to the next level with Canal & River Trust

We are pleased to announce a new partnership with the UK’s largest canal charity, Canal & River Trust, as part of our commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.

Jun 5, 2025