National award for PNCC roading process

PNCC Press Release

The City Council’s innovative process to include glass as part of its roading foundations has been recognised nationally.

At the weekend the City Council received a Packaging Council of New Zealand award as the winner in the glass recycling category from the Acting Minister for the Environment, David Parker.

The Council, in conjunction with Higgins Aggregates, has, for the last 12 months, produced a roading foundation material which includes up to five percent of recycled glass.

The glass would otherwise be dumped in a landfill as it has no market value due to the presence of more than one colour and plastic which sticks to the bottles.

Instead the glass has been crushed and progressively mixed with gravel to provide an effective basecourse. This foundation has been used on the Pioneer Highway shared path, on roading and building foundations at the Awapuni Landfill and on the recently completed Parnell Heights link road.

Water and Waste Services Manager, Chris Pepper, says the basecourse will continue to be used in roading projects. “This initiative is currently saving the Council about $20 a tonne of glass to dispose of. The saving will increase as landfill prices rise,” Chris says.

He explains that a variety of methods to use waste glass have been tried throughout New Zealand but, until now, have not been effective. Other local authorities are now trialling the use of crashed glass as a roading mix he says.

“We’re delighted we’ve been recognised as a pioneer in the use of recycled glass,” Chris says. “I want to acknowledge the partnership with Higgins, who’ve carried out the trials to produce an effective and safe base foundation.”

The City Council’s framed certificate will be displayed at the Awapuni Recycling Centre.

Mayor Heather Tanguay says the city is another step closer to becoming the environment sustainable capital of New Zealand.

“We’re being seen nationally and internationally as a city which is working in innovative ways to mitigate climate change. Every new idea that is successful is one step closer to Palmerston North becoming the green city in New Zealand,” she says.

A British authority, Kit Strange, who recently visited and lectured in Palmerston North, says, in Warmer Bulletin, a world-wide information service on sustainable management, that the city “is doing interesting things and is ahead of the game in many areas.”
Palmerston North “provides an excellent example of work a local authority can undertake even in the absence of a clear national strategy on waste and resources.”