Sustainability is not just a word it is work for us. At COLAS New South Wales has been working tirelessly to develop a new sustainable asphalt product which we have named ECO5. The team based out of the Tomago asphalt plant in Newcastle set themselves a goal to source and design a more sustainable asphalt product. The target was to optimise the use of waste materials without compromising the performance of the asphalt. To this end, a unique asphalt was formulated using a high proportion of Australia’s reusable waste, such as, recycled crushed glass, crumbed rubber from old tyres and old asphalt known as RAP. Moreover, the team also decided to push the envelope further by producing ECO5 using warm mixing technology. This allows the lowering of production mix temperatures which in turn lessens the impact of fumes emissions on the environment and exposure to our workers. After numerous trials and an extensive testing regime we were rewarded with a 1,500 tonne order by the Port of Newcastle.
So we are RAP’d that the team at Tomago have taken significant strides towards providing a new solution to Australia’s waste disposal problem and making our asphalt more sustainable.