Trial of recycled glass as pipe embedment material
While large quantities of glass are recovered for recycling, the collection and sorting process generates many small pieces ("fines") that are unsuitable for re-manufacture into glass containers.
Tests and trials were conducted to assess the suitability of glass fines as a replacement for virgin sand in some construction applications, with the results presented in the following report and factsheet documents.
The crushed glass was tested against a number of environmental guidelines to assess the presence of contaminating materials. It had levels of metals and organic material well below the limits for "inert" waste classification and contamination for soil investigation. The glass also met the engineering specifications of the Water Services Association of Australia.
Following these tests, glass fines were used in field trials on two construction sites as an alternative to natural sand in the embedment of water mains and residential sewerage pipes. Workers using the material reported that it handled as easily as natural sand and posed no greater problems of odour, skin contact or dust than natural sand.
The report examines potential safety issues in detail and includes a Product Specification, Quality Control procedures and a sample Material Safety Data Sheet for glass fines.
Trial of Recycled Glass as Pipe Embedment Material - Full report
For convenient downloading, the full report is divided into two parts:
Trial of Recycled Glass as Pipe Embedment Material - Fact sheet
2007161PipeEmbedmentFS.pdf (Dec 2007, PDF 253kb)
For further information please contact the Sustainability Programs Division on (02) 8837 6000 or email: sustainability@environment.nsw.gov.au
Page last updated: 02 March 2011
