Part of Victoria’s Big Build, Stage 1 of the Mickleham Road Upgrade has made use of Australian technology to improve sustainability and reduce the carbon footprint of the operation, as major works ramp up.
In a massive jobs boost, the first stage of the Mickleham Road Upgrade is projected to create 420 new jobs – which includes 134 direct and 286 indirect jobs – with works expected to finish in mid-2025.
Works started in late February 2022 and will involve building extra lanes in each direction on Mickleham Road between Somerton Road and Dellamore Boulevard, along with new traffic lights, intersection upgrades, and better walking and cycling connections, requiring construction and road materials from local suppliers.
The major works is the first operation in Australia to use the ZWS Patriot – a zero-waste management system that recycles waste – allowing otherwise wasted materials to be utilised effectively elsewhere on the project.
ZWS Patriot, developed and employed by Patriot Environmental Management, filters and re-uses waste from digging to ensure there is zero waste or landfill during construction.
This process involves the system filtering the waste and separating dirt from water, allowing the water to be re-used on site, and the recycled dirt to be used as topsoil for landscaping towards the end of the project.
It is reported from Major Road Projects Victoria, that the energy saved from just 1 standard load processed through the ZWS Patriot is equal to 55 kilograms of coal burned or 47 litres of petrol consumed.
The environmental benefits of this technology include a net carbon reduction per load of 88 per cent, re-use of water, fewer truck movements and better tracking of waste generated in the work of the project.
As another first, the project is the first in Victoria to also be using solar technology to power the temporary traffic signals near Aitken College and the Somerton Road intersection until they are connected to the grid, while the project’s main construction support site will be completely powered by solar energy, with excess power being pumped back into the electricity grid.
For more information, visit the Victoria’s Big Build website here.