A new facility for processing recycled glass into construction materials is set to come into operation this month in Rockhampton.
The $2 million Kriaris Recyclables Processing facility, partially funded by the Queensland Government, has been purpose-built to process glass recycled through the state’s container refund scheme, Containers for Change.
The facility will take glass from one of Rockhampton’s Containers for Change recycling points and crush it into glass fines, which can be used instead of sand in the construction of bitumen roads.
Meaghan Scanlon, Environment Minister, said the government had contributed $600,000 to the project as part of the Resource Recovery Industry Development Program (RRIDP).
“It means that if you’re drinking a beer in Rockhampton, and you recycle it through Containers for Change, not only do you get that 10 cents refunded to you but one day soon you may be walking over that very same glass that has been used by council to build roads,” she said.
Barry O’Rourke, Member for Rockhampton, said processing glass at a local facility meant glass waste generated in Rockhampton could then be used in the area rather than being transported and processed in other parts of the state.
“There is far less emissions and costs, using locally collected, recycled and processed glass for projects such as building new roadways and civil construction right here,” he said.
Containers for Change has recycled more than 530 million containers in Central Queensland since its launch in November 2018.
Ken Noye, Chief Executive Officer of COEX, which runs Containers for Change, said the recycled glass could also be used for new drink containers, kitchen benchtops and home insulation.
“The Rockhampton glass processing facility is just one of many projects Containers for Change is working on throughout the state to provide more jobs for Queenslanders powered by recycling than ever before,” he said. “We are very pleased to be able to see these projects also supported by the Queensland Government.”
For more information, visit: www.containersforchange.com.au
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