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RECYCLED MATERIALS IN CONSTRUCTION
In 2019, South Africa put 700 kg of waste plastic into a 300-metre road; Jeffreys Bay turned discarded packaging into its asphalt surfaceIn 2019, South Africa put 700 kg of waste plastic into a 300-metre road; Jeffreys Bay turned discarded packaging into its asphalt surface. ...
In 2023, an Australian city put 76,000 recycled bottles into its roads; 25 tonnes of crushed glass replaced virgin sand in a major resurfacing trialRecycled glass roads Australia: Latrobe City Council in Traralgon, Victoria, trialed recycled glass in road resurfacing. Over 76,000 bottle...
In 2024, Arizona put 100% recycled glass beneath a 23-mile interstate expansion; the unusual material helped protect 19 sets of existing highway culvertsWhen Arizona widened Interstate 17, engineers faced a problem that drivers would never notice. Beneath the planned expansion were 19 sets o...
In 2018, Tasmania built a road using 530,000 plastic bags, 168,000 glass bottles and 12,500 printer cartridges; engineers expected it to last 15% longerWhat if the road beneath your feet was made partly from the rubbish you threw away? In Tasmania, that idea became real in 2018. Engineers b...
In 2012, Bellingham used porcelain from 400 recycled toilets to build a roadway, diverting about 5 tons of waste from landfill. It earned the world's first official "Greenroads" certificationCities across the US are embracing creative solutions for eco-friendly infrastructure. In Bellingham, Washington, a unique project utilized...
Scientists in China have turned worn-out wind turbine blades into material for building roads: ‘The roads don’t show any cracks’Wind turbines can last for decades against the punishing winds, but what happens when they reach the end of their lives? A group of researc...
In 2018, the Netherlands turned 1,000 kg of household plastic into a 30-metre cycle path; the road contained the equivalent of 218,000 plastic cupsA Dutch cycle path turned plastic waste into something useful. In 2018, Zwolle opened a 30-metre path made with about 1,000 kilograms of re...
In 2018, Melbourne put 200,000 plastic bags, 63,000 glass bottles and 4,500 used printer cartridges into a road; 250 tonnes of recycled asphalt showed 60% better fatigue resistanceIn 2018, Melbourne tested a road with an unusual ingredient list: 200,000 plastic bags, 63,000 glass bottles and 4,500 used printer cartrid...
In 2025, Netherlands turned retired wind-turbine blades into a 60-metre highway noise barrier; tests found it performed like a conventional concrete wallNetherlands’ 60-metre Blade Barrier represents more than an unusual highway wall. It is an experiment in what a circular economy can look l...
In 2020, California repaved a highway using recycled materials, including 150,000 plastic bottles per mile; it could last 2-3 times longer than conventional asphaltCalifornia transportation officials tested recycled pavement using plastic bottle binder. This pilot project on Highway 162 consumed approx...
In 2020, Australia built more than 90% of a road project from recycled waste; five million bottles went into a job that cost no more than a standard buildIn 2020, Australia built more than 90% of a road project from recycled waste; five million bottles were used in a Central Coast Council pro...
In 2018, Victoria put the equivalent of 40 million discarded bottles into a freeway; 8,000 tonnes of crushed glass went into one widening projectScience news: 8,000 tonnes of recycled glass used in the 2018 Tullamarine Freeway widening project is a powerful example of how recycling c...
In 2014, Minneapolis demolished the Metrodome and diverted more than 80% of the stadium from landfill, including 80,000 tons of concrete and 4,500 tons of steelThe demolition of the Minneapolis Metrodome set a remarkable benchmark, with over eighty percent of its materials recycled, diverting numer...
Tennessee turned 100 tonnes of old wind turbine blades into material for new products for automobiles, boats and constructionBased in Tennessee, Carbon Rivers has crafted an innovative technique for recycling obsolete wind turbine blades. This novel approach utili...
6,000 milk bottle road in China: How plastic waste found a strange second life in ShanghaiMore than 6,000 used milk bottles in Shanghai were given an unusual second life when they were processed into recycled plastic and incorpor...
In 2022, Wales mixed fibres from 4.3 tonnes of used nappies into a highway; the waste replaced asphalt material imported from EuropeWales recently resurfaced part of the A487 highway using fibers from 4.3 tonnes of recycled diapers. Sanitized diaper waste was processed i...
In the year to September 2023, one Australian city used 6,790 litres of waste engine oil to build roads; it became a coating for stone used in road sealsIn the year leading up to September 2023, the City of Greater Geelong transformed thousands of litres of used motor oil into durable public...
In 2009, the US Army built recycled plastic bridges for a 71-ton Abrams tank. 1 year later, Fort Eustis opened 2 thermoplastic railroad bridges to replace old timber tooRecycled plastic composite material offers a durable and sustainable alternative for bridge construction. The world's first vehicular bridg...
In 2023, Australia's Sydney put 120,000 glass jars and 200 tonnes of old asphalt on Clarence Street. 1 year later, its program recycled 670,000 glass jars into asphalt across the citySydney is using recycled materials in road renewal, giving glass jars and reclaimed asphalt a new purpose instead of sending them to landfi...
In 2019, Victoria's Wyndham City turned 199,000 recycled bottles into a 200-metre footpath. 1 year later, the project had reached 339 metres and delivered 1,700kg in carbon savingsVictoria’s Wyndham City turned 199,000 recycled bottles into a 200-metre footpath in 2019. The project showed how plastic waste could be gi...