Facilitated by Jody Houston of Sustainable Choice, a partnership between Local Government NSW (LGNSW) and the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH), the program consisted of presentations, case studies and Q&A, including keynote speakers such as OEH's Rod Clare who discussed recycled glass in road construction, and Mick Callan, who presented a case study of Bathurst Council's Roadside Vegetation program.
IPWEA's Mick Savage spoke about material specifications and standards in road construction, in particular the importance of OMC or optimum moisture content in the construction of longer lasting roads.
Among the suppliers invited to showcase technology and innovation in road construction at the forum trade show, Earthco Projects shared the benefits of their sustainable road stabilising agent, PolyCom Stabilising Aid.
A finalist at the Victorian Premier's Sustainability Awards last year, PolyCom is used in sealed and unsealed road construction and maintenance for road shoulders, mines sites, haul roads, civil roadwork and subdivision construction, airstrips, handstands and container yards.
When added to roads, mixed with material and compacted, the environmentally compliant binding agent creates a tight and strong surface that resists water and traffic erosion. Attendees were particularly interested in PolyCom's ability to stabilise in-situ road materials from silt to clay, loam and gravel, averting long haul cartage of virgin materials which reduces carbon emissions and further damage to the roads.
Earthco Projects representatives explained how councils around Australia have reduced road maintenance by up to a factor of six with the use of PolyCom, presenting evidence from case studies undertaken by sustainability consultancy Factor Ten.
For more information please visit: www.earthcoprojects.com.au
