METRO TUNNEL WASTE RECYCLED INTO BRICKS
07 May 2019
The clay waste from Melbourne’s ambitious Parkville Station Metro tunnel project will be transformed into bricks, demonstrating the reusability of materials from large construction projects.
Image from Metro Tunnel
Clay waste from Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel Parkville Station project will be converted into new bricks for residential construction with more than 80 Olympic-sized swimming pools worth of material will be excavated as part of the project to make way for the new underground station.
There are three stages to the project with the first stage expected to provide around 300,000 tonnes of clay, enough to produce around 10 million bricks.
PGH Bricks and Pavers Regional General Manager Andrew Peachey said there is a potential to produce around 30 million bricks with the other two potential stages.
“We are very committed to recycling this type of material as much as possible. Not only is it better for the environment – reusing waste rather than sending it to landfill – there’s also the social benefit of its use to build homes for new residents in the suburbs of Melbourne,” Peachey said.
“Normally we would extract this clay from our own quarry, so recycling waste from construction sites also serves to provide longevity at our facility and continuity of work for everyone employed there.”
Works began on the site on 14 January below Grattan Street, between Leicester Street and Royal Parade.
“The Metro Tunnel will make travelling to the renowned Parkville health, education and research precinct easier than ever before, slashing travel times by up to 20 minutes in each direction,” said Victorian Acting Premier James Merlino.
“We are undertaking a monumental engineering feat as part of the Metro Tunnel, including constructing new train stations deep beneath some of Melbourne’s busiest areas,” said Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan.
The first train is expected to run through the tunnel in 2025.
Via Roads Online