Noosa blacktops get a greener edge

Soon even Noosa’s roads can claim green credentials with Noosa Council partnering with Downer to use high performance road resurfacing products made out of toner from recycled printer cartridges and old car tyres, in combination with bitumen.
Noosa Council’s civil operations manager Allan Hull said “Noosa Asphalt” is better for the environment than conventional asphalt because it uses recycled toner and because it is manufactured at a lower temperature than conventional asphalt.
The council said the use of Noosa Asphalt in this year’s road resealing program would save more than a million old printer cartridges from being sent to landfill. The program also reclaimed thousands of tonnes of old asphalt.
Mr Hull said as well as reducing the amount of waste bound for landfill, Noosa Asphalt’s benefits included lower carbon emissions.
“Whereas similar road surfaces incorporate one or two sustainable technologies, such as the use of one recycled material or the use of lower-temperature manufacturing, Noosa Asphalt incorporates several,” Mr Hull said.
“That makes it a significant innovation in road construction. With this product Noosa is raising the bar in terms of best practice at no extra cost. It is exciting to think that Noosa Asphalt could one day be used across the country.”
Thousands of old car tyres are used in another product to improve road surfaces by making them more flexible because it helps prevent cracking and reduces the risk of water penetrating the underlying pavement.
“It also saves all those old tyres being sent to landfill,” Mr Hull said.
Noosa mayor Tony Wellington said the council was keen to try the new product.
“When the opportunity arose to trial these new products, all the councillors were very keen to get on board,” Cr Wellington said.
“This is another example of how the council was working hard to reduce its overall impact on the environment.”