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Infrastructure upgrades to RAAF Williams Point Cook to use recycled aggregates

 

Aurecon Project Delivery Services has joined forces with the Australian Government’s Department of Defence Estate Works Program by using recycled materials to upgrade car parks and pavements at the RAAF Williams Point Cook base.

Fulton Hogan will supply the recycled asphalt product (RAP), which will be used to resurface, repair and reconstruct the site’s 1600m2 car park and the pavements that surround it.

Approximately 80m³ of the RAP, which is the equivalent of about 600 kilograms of plastic, will be used.

Aurecon senior program advisory consultant Ryan Chirgwin said the RAP aimed to help the environment and drive down project costs.

“Early on in the project we realised the considerable amount of concrete waste that would end up in landfill,” he said. “So instead, the team designed a process to crush 210 tonnes of material on site to be reused as sub-base for the carpark in the construction works.

“Through collaboration with industry partners we also integrated the use of an asphalt product that contained a large amount of recycled plastic into our design which further reduced environmental impacts,” Chirgwin explained.

“In total, we used approximately 80m3 of the product, which equates to recycling approximately 600kg of plastic, the equivalent of preventing 120,000 plastic bags going to landfill.

“Not only were these innovations environmentally safe and sustainable, it lowered project costs for Defence by reducing the materials we needed to order and transport.”

Judi Barton, the Australian Government Department of Defence’s assistant director of environmental resource management and sustainability, said the works show how Defence is adhering to the Australian Government’s National Waste Policy.

“This project is a small example of the considerable attention Defence and its industry partners are placing on reducing waste to landfill and forging a more sustainable circular economy,” she said. “Increasing the amount of recycled content in goods and infrastructure procurement where fit for purpose products are available is key to building a more sustainable Defence Estate.”

Chirgwin said the project was also needed for the safety of staff coming to and from the site, along with the public who visit the RAAF museum.

Standard asphalt (left) and the recycled asphalt material (right).
Image courtesy of Aurecon.
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