Aggregates are the essential constituents in civil engineering structures.
In OECD countries, aggregates consumption goes up to 6 to 8 tons per inhabitant per year. It amounts to only 1 to 3 tons in transition or developing countries. Aggregates resources are composed of materials from natural resources or wastes from various industrial origins or demolition rubble. 20,000 tons of aggregates are required to build one kilometre of road and 300,000 tons to build a skyscraper. As a result of a quick calculation, it appears that a city such as Kuala Lumpur requires a supply of at least 3,000,000 tons of aggregates, excluding materials from other origins.