On 5 June 2023, Council installed another locally supplied resource recovery picnic setting and concrete slab combination instead of virgin materials at George Reserve, Salamander Bay.
This project allows Council to compare the performance of the sustainable tables for future park and reserve infrastructure projects. Thanks to NSW Environment Protection Authority funding, Council installed the resource recovery concrete slabs and recycled material picnic settings that contain a high recycled content derived from problematic waste streams. Without this kind of project, these streams including soft plastics and waste glass would be bound for landfill or stockpiling.
The George Reserve project used 79% High Density Polyethylene recycled plastic lumber instead of virgin timber. Including the CaCO3 and pigment components of the product the total recycled material proportion is 96%.
In addition, 5.4m3 of EcoPact concrete was used which contains Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) bottles and replaced the requirement for tonnes of virgin sand. The benefits continue long after the installation, as the resource recovery EcoPact concrete is 100% recyclable at the end of its first life to be used as feedstock for new concrete. The picnic tables made from soft plastic waste are also recyclable at the end of their lifecycle.
Reusing materials instead of paying to send them to landfill makes sense both environmentally and financially. By using recycled materials in the construction of park infrastructure, there’s enhanced durability and an extended lifespan, contributing to resource recovery efforts.
