Boral’s flagship recycled glass sand has received official approval from Sydney Water, marking a major step towards more sustainable construction practices in New South Wales.
The Boral Blended High-Grade Compaction Sand (HGCS), made with up to 40 per cent double-washed glass sand derived from kerbside recycled glass bottles, has been accepted for use as a non-standard product in Sydney Water infrastructure works.
The product is specifically engineered for pipe laying applications, meeting strict compaction and performance standards.
Boral recycled product manager Jeff Adams said the approval from Sydney Water marked a significant achievement in sustainable construction.
“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. 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 first project to utilise the innovative sand is the Upper South Creek Advanced Water Recycling Centre, Sydney Water’s largest infrastructure investment in Western Sydney. This milestone follows more than 12 months of rigorous testing and collaboration between Boral, Sydney Water and construction partner John Holland.
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“The incorporation of glass sand into Boral products has been a six-year journey from initially finding a suitable source, working with the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to establish a Boral-specific glass sand order, to now having approval from Sydney Water on our flagship Boral Blended High-Grade Compaction sand,” Adams said.
“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. We look forward to continuing our work with Sydney Water and its contractors to provide sustainable material into the market.”
Boral’s HGCS combines natural sand with washed glass sand, providing a sustainable alternative to traditional bedding sand, which is increasingly scarce and often transported long distances to job sites.
The glass component is sourced from IQ Renew, a recycling partner that worked with Boral during product development to ensure the sand met necessary quality and engineering requirements. The final blend is processed at Boral’s Emu Plains recycling facility.