The planned Port Coogee community in the City of Cockburn, Western Australia, has sealed two of its roads with recycled waste.
Cecilia and Skerne Lanes in Port Coogee, owned by Frasers Property Australia, have been paved with 750 square metres of Reconophalt. Installed this month by Densford Civil, the Reconophalt in Port Coogee is made from 40,000 plastic bags, 900 toner cartridges, 210 kilograms of crumb rubber from car tyres, and seven tonnes of recycled asphalt pavement.
According to Nicki Ledger, waste education officer at the City of Cockburn, the Port Coogee trial demonstrates how private companies can collaborate with local governments on environmentally friendly innovations.
“The City is proud to support this trial by Frasers Property and Densford Civil, the first of its kind in WA, and will certainly be looking to continue using Reconophalt in Cockburn in the future.
“We believe it is vital to encourage the use of recycled materials wherever possible, to stimulate the development of recycling industries here in Australia,” she said.
Reconophalt comprises recycled waste materials such as recycled plastic bags from Redcycle; waste printer toner from Close the Loop; recycled asphalt pavement; and crumb rubber from car tyres. It is billed as both more eco-friendly and more durable, with an advertised 65 per cent improvement in fatigue life compared with normal asphalt.
Stuart Gardiner, general manager – residential WA at Frasers Property, suggested the company would consider using more solutions like Reconophalt in the future, depending on the outcome of the Port Coogee trial.
“This progressive environmental solution in the waterfront community at Port Coogee demonstrates the importance of sustainable partnerships to create economic, social and environmental value for materials that would more than likely end up in landfill, or as pollutants in our natural environments.
“We look forward to monitoring the trial of this recycled asphalt and how the new surface performs over time,” he said.
