A recycled asphalt mix will be implemented for more than two kilometres of road at a new residential community in southeast Victoria called Stockland Minta.
The road surfacing material – called Reconophalt – uses highly recycled materials from waste streams to reduce the amount bound for landfill.
The project has been facilitated by property developer Stockland, the City of Casey Council, Downer Road Services and Winslow Constructors Australia.
Stockland stated the first stage of Reconophalt at Minta – stage 15 for the whole project – would stop about 1,356,000 plastic bags, 39,610 printer cartridges and 724 tonnes of recycled asphalt from reaching landfill.
This waste reduction will be the equivalent of saving 23.08 tonnes of carbon dioxide or removing 9.5 cars from the road for a year – and this is only for stage 15.
Post-stage 15’s completion (980 metres of road), stages 17 and 18 will see the total length of Reconophalt will be extended to 2430 metres.
Downer Group’s manager for corporate affairs Karen Winsbury said the use of recycled materials was extremely important to the project.
“There has never been a greater need to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill, with soft plastic, tyres, glass and excavation waste being major issues globally,” Winsbury said.
“We needed to minimise the extraction of natural resources for use in this much needed infrastructure development – that’s why Downer has invested heavily over the past 10 years to create economic, social and environmental benefit for our customers and their communities by pulling products, not pushing waste.”
In line with Stockland’s commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2028 – two years earlier than previously announced – Stockland project director Kerry Balci said a viable balance must be found between the implementation of environmental practices and economic growth.
“Stockland is committed to using sustainable materials,” Balci said. “Our sustainability approach focuses on our opportunity to deliver shared value; specifically, through our responsibility to create the right balance of social, environment and economic outcomes for our stakeholders, now and into the future.”
Stockland intends to continue its use of Reconophalt as a strong means to achieving its emissions reductions target.
“This environmental initiative is one of the first of many Stockland projects that will be using recycled asphalt – helping grow our communities while being as kind to the environment as possible,” Balci said.
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