Alex Fraser Group
An Exciting Development for Victoria’s Circular Economy. Victorian Minister for Environment Opens Sustainable Asphalt and Glass Recycling Plants.
On May 31, the Hon. Minister Lily D’Ambrosio, MP – Victorian Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change – officially opened Alex Fraser’s new high recycled technology asphalt plant along with an innovative glass recycling plant at the company’s integrated recycling facility in Laverton North.
Alex Fraser Managing Director Peter Murphy said the new facilities incorporated design features to improve resource recovery and increase recycled content in construction materials. They also provide a significant capacity increase in resources, urgently needed to supply to Victoria’s Big Build.
“These new $20 million facilities are part of Alex Fraser’s long-term investment in improving resource recovery and infrastructure sustainability for Victoria,” said Peter.
The new plants will supply road base, aggregates, sand and asphalt to build greener roads and rail projects, including the Western Roads Upgrade and Level Crossing Removal Projects. The use of this material will have significant commercial and environmental savings, including the reduction of landfill, heavy vehicle movements, and the carbon footprint of new projects, by up to 65 per cent.
“We have created a unique network of facilities; capable of supplying large volumes of quality materials to infrastructure projects throughout metropolitan Melbourne, and critical to developing markets for recycled materials, that take pressure off Melbourne’s kerbside recycling program.”
“Currently, Victorian households generate mountains of problem glass waste every year. Our glass recycling plant is capable of producing 800 tonnes of construction sand per day – equivalent to four million glass bottles. The high recycled technology asphalt plant produces over half a million tonnes of green asphalt a year. These facilities represent an exciting development for Victoria’s circular economy; one that will be instrumental to its growth,” said Peter.
The new plants are co-located on site with Alex Fraser’s existing million tonne per year C&D recycling plant, which was opened in 2009 by then Premier, the Hon. John Brumby.
About the Glass Recycling Plant:
Alex Fraser’s newly commissioned Glass Recycling Plant is now fully operational, capable of producing up to 800 tonnes of high specification sand per day (equivalent to four million bottles) from the most problematic glass waste streams.
Victorian households currently generate mountains of problem glass waste (known as CSP) every year. Made up of fine particles of glass co-mingled with other waste, like paper, plastics, metals and organics; this waste stream cannot be traditionally recycled back into bottles or jars. Until recently, mountains of glass waste were accumulating state-wide, destined for landfill.
Alex Fraser Managing Director Peter Murphy said the company combined years of recycling experience with the latest technology from around the world to design an innovative glass recycling plant that uses a range of technologies to produce a high-quality construction sand.
“Our new glass recycling plant separates glass from impurities, and processes it into a recycled sand, which complies with VicRoads specifications. It directly replaces quarried sand and reduces the need for trucking virgin sand long distances into Melbourne; substantially reducing heavy vehicle movements on congested roads.”
“Our new glass recycling plant is capable of producing 200,000 tonnes of recycled glass sand per year – equivalent to a billion bottles; effectively putting an end to glass waste stockpiles and landfill in Victoria,” said Peter.
Alex Fraser’s recycled glass sand is currently being used in dozens of infrastructure projects across Victoria, including several Level Crossing Removal Projects.
About the High Recycled Technology Asphalt Plant:
Following a 16-month build, Alex Fraser’s high recycled technology asphalt plant is in full operation, producing up to half a million tonnes of sustainable asphalt per year.
Standing over 40 metres high, the new state-of–the art facility turns traditional asphalt production on its head, using recycled material as its main supply and only supplementing with virgin materials when required.
Alex Fraser Managing Director Peter Murphy said the asphalt plant was already supplying major road projects like the Western Roads Upgrade, and municipal projects in areas like Wyndham, Yarra, and Brimbank with green asphalt mixes.
“This energy efficient plant is capable of producing high quality asphalt mixes, made almost entirely of recycled materials.”
“Our greenest asphalt mixes, like Glassphalt™ which includes recycled glass, and PolyPave™ which includes recycled plastics, are being produced here to supply a multitude of projects.”
“When it comes to building greener roads, Victoria is paving the way; but there is more to be done. We’re looking forward to working together with industry and government to develop the most sustainable asphalt mixes and build the greenest roads Victoria has seen,” said Peter.
About Alex Fraser:
Alex Fraser is a leading supplier of sustainable construction materials, with a network of sites across Victoria and Queensland it is responsible for diverting millions of tonnes of waste from landfill every year to build greener roads.
Every year, Alex Fraser produces approximately four million tonnes of sustainable construction material from recovered construction and demolition waste, and glass fines from kerbside collections; while its asphalt crews pave more than 1,000 kilometres of green roads.
Established in 1879, Alex Fraser is one of Australia’s longest running companies. They have been a valued member of the CMPA since inception in 1999. In 2019 it celebrates 140 years of operation, having recovered and recycled 50 million tonnes of material.
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