Boral Limited has received approval from Sydney Water to supply its flagship blended high-grade compaction sand (HGCS) for use in infrastructure projects.
The approved product is a blend of natural sand and up to 40 per cent double-washed glass sand, which is made from kerbside recycled glass bottles, the company revealed in a media release.
Boral said the material meets Sydney Water’s ‘stringent’ specifications and serves as a sustainable alternative to traditional compaction sand used in pipe-laying applications.
The approval follows more than a year of collaboration between Boral, Sydney Water, and construction firm John Holland.
The Upper South Creek Advanced Water Recycling Centre in Western Sydney – Sydney Water’s largest infrastructure investment in the region – is the first project to incorporate the material.
“We are pleased to have an innovative glass compaction sand alternative to supply to construction projects across NSW and for Sydney Water, specifically, given the critical supply of natural washed bedding sand,” said Jeff Adams, Recycled Product Manager at Boral.
Boral’s recycled sand is produced at its Emu Plains recycling facility using glass supplied by recycling company IQ Renew.
The company said the final product offers similar, if not enhanced, engineering properties compared to natural sand, while helping to reduce reliance on diminishing natural resources.
“Our glass sand provides economic and environmental benefits when used instead of diminishing natural resources that require transporting long distances, as well as the obvious avoidance of glass into landfill,” Adams said.
The initiative builds on six years of research and development by Boral, including collaboration with the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to establish a glass sand order specific to the company’s requirements.
“By using double-washed glass sand, we are providing a sustainable alternative to projects and demonstrating the strength of reusing materials to create a circular economy,” Adams said.
“We look forward to continuing our work with Sydney Water and its contractors to provide sustainable material into the market.”
The content of this article is based on information supplied by Boral Limited. For more information, please refer to the official company announcement and communications from Boral. Please consult a licensed and/or registered professional in this area before making any decisions based on the content of this article.
