Otago Daily Times

Airport paving project uses bottles, cartridges

- TRACEY ROXBURGH

BEER bottles and toner ink cartridges are being used to resurface Queenstown Airport’s 40,000sq m apron.

Queenstown Airport Corporatio­n is working with Downer on the $7 million project, in which the used cartridges and glass are combined to create a paving aggregate called TonerPave.

Downer surfacing operations general manager George Leidig said TonerPave had been developed in partnershi­p with Close the Loop, a sustainabi­lity solutions provider.

‘‘We recognise that sustainabi­lity is a journey and we hope that by using recycled materials in this project, we can deliver an innovative solution while helping to protect New Zealand’s finite natural resources,’’ he said.

The mix used modified toner polymer, from the toner cartridges, and sand made using the DB sand machine, which can crush a bottle, converting it to glass granules.

A dual vacuum removed silica dust and plastic labels, leaving sand used on constructi­on sites, roading projects and in concrete.

The mobile asphalt mixing plant was based at the airport, reducing road haulage by 720,000km over the course of the project, expected to be complete by December 16.

QAC’s operations and safety general manager Mike Clay said resealing of the aircraft parking area happened, on average, every 10 years.

This resurfacin­g, however, represente­d a ‘‘stepchange’’ for the airport.

‘‘We’re really excited about tackling this longcycle project in a different way.

‘‘We’ve tried to incorporat­e sustainabi­lity into all aspects of it, from the recycled material used in the mix to reducing emissions from haulage.’’

As part of the project, more space was being provided in the apron to expand the electric ground service fleets.

Ducting was also being installed in the parking area to provide access to electric power.

That would provide ‘‘immediate benefits’’ for the ground service fleet and would futureproo­f for the possibilit­y of airlines ‘‘powering their aircraft with electricit­y whilst parked at the gate, rather than fossil fuel’’, Mr Clay said.

The airport is holding ‘‘Trash to Treasure’’ events from 11am to 3pm today, and on December 7 and 14, where the public can see the DB sand machine in action and bring along used toner cartridges to provide material for the aggregate.

 ?? PHOTO: SUPPLIED ?? Paving the way . . . A Downer crew works on resurfacin­g Queenstown Airport’s apron using TonerPave.
PHOTO: SUPPLIED Paving the way . . . A Downer crew works on resurfacin­g Queenstown Airport’s apron using TonerPave.

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