(28/11/2018) North Freo car park has a heart of glass

In another demonstration of its commitment to sustainability, the City of Fremantle has used recycled glass in the resurfacing of the car park at the North Fremantle Post Office.

The car park, on the corner of Queen Victoria Street and Tydeman Road, was resurfaced using a warm asphalt mix which included 10 per cent recycled crushed glass as a substitute for traditional crushed granite aggregate.

City of Fremantle Infrastructure Engineering Manager David Janssens said while recycled glass asphalt had been used on roads in the United States and Canada for many years, it’s not widely used in Australia.

“Extensive testing was undertaken by our supplier to ensure the material complied with our requirements and the glass would not come loose when cars drove over it,” Mr Janssens said.

“We also had to make sure the glass being used had no sharp edges so it was safe for people to walk on and wouldn’t damage car tyres.

“Once we get an idea of how it performs in North Fremantle we’ll consider using recycled glass in other road projects, and our suppliers are exploring the possibility of using recycled plastic and rubber in asphalt as well.”

Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettitt said the amount of recycled glass used on the North Fremantle car park was the equivalent of approximately 2640 glass bottles.

“Through our One Planet strategy we are committed to reducing waste and increasing our recycling rates,” Mayor Pettitt said.

“Using recycled glass in asphalt for our roads and car parks could help to create an important local market.

“And because the glass asphalt is made at a much lower temperature it also means using a lot less energy and producing less greenhouse emissions.”

As well as using recycled glass asphalt, the City of Fremantle used recycled road base on the North Fremantle car park.

The City’s Parks and Landscapes team will also beautify the area using waterwise plants.