In a world first, the noise walls along the Mordialloc Freeway will be made from 75% recycled plastic collected from households across the state.
The project will use 570 tonnes of plastic waste to construct the 32,000 square metres of noise wall needed for the project. The panels have a lifespan of 40+ years and can be recycled again at the end of their life.
At less than half the weight of steel or concrete panels, the recycled plastic noise wall panels are quicker and safer to install, while still meeting or exceeding traffic noise reduction requirements.
The recycled plastic panels are also non-porous, meaning paint and graffiti can’t be absorbed into them.
Turning waste into walls
Of the 570 tonnes of plastic waste, half is plastic disposed of in kerbside recycling, such as milk and soft drink bottles. The other half is made up of soft plastics such as bread bags, food wrappers and bubble wrap, which are notoriously difficult to recycle and usually end up in landfill.
The project has also prioritised using recycled materials in other ways, like using recycled glass in asphalt, recycled concrete in road base and drainage pipes made of recycled plastic.
The Mordialloc Freeway is due to be complete by the end of 2021.