Converting single-use coffee cups into new roads
»Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ x State Asphalts NSW
, in partnership with »Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ, has pioneered a solution to divert up to 10,000 tonnes of paper and plastic waste from landfill (time period TBA) by transforming it into asphalt additives for roads. Â
Supported by a Cooperative Research Centre Project (CRC-P) grant, the project led to the development of the sustainable product, , that has been successfully piloted in Western Sydney. The product is made from >50% recycled material including the world-first use of waste coffee cups as asphalt additive. This partnership has not only reduced raw material consumption and carbon emissions but also fostered a culture of ongoing research collaboration within the company.
For every tonne of asphalt produced, 400 cups are diverted from landfill.
Contracted by NSW State Government for active trials in Western Sydney.
Roads made with PAK-PAVEâ„¢ have a 24% lower carbon footprint.
State Asphalts sponsored a PhD candidate to focus on their research project.
- Challenge
- Solution
- Outcome
Challenge
State Asphalts NSW manufacture asphalt and bitumen products for road construction. As asphalt is a composite material (a combination of two or more materials with different properties), it lends itself to being made from recycled components. State Asphalts were eager to explore the use of coffee cups (90% of which end up in landfills) and other waste streams to replace petroleum-based aggregate materials. Their main obstacle was that they lacked in-house research capability.Â
"Partnering with »Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ was the most cost-effective way to address our product development challenge because the university has so much advanced research capability that we don't normally have access to. Once the fundamental science has been resolved, we get to do what we do best: manufacturing."
    -James Ng, Project Manager, Sustainability & Grants
Solution
The project was funded through a grant that included three other supply chain partners—, , and .
»Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ conducted an investigative analysis, using advanced imaging technology, to determine how the recycled waste materials behave at a fundamental level. This research allowed the company to secure approval from the Environmental Protection Agency to pilot asphalt infused with coffee cup pellets.
State Asphalts also participated in »Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ’s  Australian Graduate School of Engineering (AGSE) Industry PhD Program, which embeds students with industry partners to tackle specific problems. The PhD student tested the feasibility of using waste products in asphalt and provided the data and specifications State Asphalts needed to develop their sustainable product, PAK-PAVEâ„¢ Roads.
PAK-PAVEâ„¢ benefits include:
- Optimised surface texture that offers superior durability and crack resistance
- Enhanced wet weather skid performance
- Reduced noise pollutionÂ
- Lower carbon footprintÂ
Outcome
Through a collaborative supply chain effort, PAK-PAVEâ„¢ Roads was successfully piloted in construction projects across Western Sydney. The roads incorporated 135,000 recycled coffee cups, 85% of which were collected from the Penrith LGA, reducing raw material consumption and lowering the carbon footprint by 24%. Equipped with empirical data and prototype samples, the company is now well-positioned to test and expand into new markets.
The project's success has also sparked a culture of ongoing research collaboration at State Asphalts and insights from the PhD program have influenced the company’s HR strategy to focus more on innovation and sustainability. (ADD DETAILS OF ANY FURTHER COLLABORATIONS)Â
“We currently have PhD students working with us on-site and providing us with world-class research that we couldn’t afford to do without the partnership.â€
- James Ng, Project Manager, Sustainability & Grants
State Asphalts NSW
Partnership to develop an asphalt additive product using paper and plastic waste from used takeaway coffee cups.
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Organisation size
Small-to-medium enterprise
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Project duration
3 years
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Funding range
$1M+
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Funding scheme
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Academic collaboration
Optimised surface texture for better roads
Enhanced durability
Superior durability and crack resistance.
Wet weather
Enhanced skid performance and stopping.
Noise reduction
Better acoustic properties for reduced noise pollution.
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