Did you know? The M6 toll road was built from Mills and Boone books

**Fan of Big Tone** · December 31, 2024

The M6 Toll road was built using pulped Mills and Boon novels!

About 2,500,000 of the novels were pulped at a recycling firm in south Wales and used in the preparation of the top layer of the West Midlands motorway, according to building materials suppliers Tarmac.

The pulp which helps hold the Tarmac and asphalt in place also acts as a sound absorber and is vital in the construction of roads.

The project manager for the M6 Toll, said the books' absorbent qualities made them a vital ingredient in the construction of the country's first pay-as-you-go motorway. "They may be slushy to many people, but it's their 'no-slushiness' that is their attraction as far as we are concerned.

"This means that the road will last longer before we have to repair it, which is good news for the paying customers using it to escape congestion on the M6."

He said for every mile of motorway approximately 45,000 books were needed.

The books which are usually end of line or damaged are collected from across the UK and pulped at Excel Industries in Ebbw Vale, south Wales.

A Tarmac spokesman said the company was not suggesting there was anything wrong with Mills & Boon novels."We want to reassure Mills & Boon readers that we're not just picking on their favourite books, other books are down there too. Full story: