Technion research paves way for first recycled glass road

The glass-asphalt mixture was found in experiments until now to function well in all types of weather and heavy traffic.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
glass bottles 88 (photo credit: )
glass bottles 88
(photo credit: )
A new road surface made with recycled glass mixed with asphalt will be laid down on a road in Holon on Monday night, following lab research at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology that shows it is as effective as conventional pavement. The five-centimeter-deep layer will be laid at the entrance to the city on Rehov Halohamim, between Rehov Hama'apilim and Rehov Hagiborim. Technion researchers, headed by Prof. Ilan Yishai of the civil and environmental engineering faculty and engineer Arye Geller, will monitor its performance along with city engineers. Twenty tons of ground-up waste glass will be mixed with 400 tons of asphalt to comprise the upper layer. Yishai said that about 18 months ago, he and his colleagues completed the first phase of research - financed by the Environment Ministry - on using recycled glass as a major component of road surfacing. The Technion team conducted experiments in their lab and tried it out on two road segments in a high-traffic section of Haifa. The glass-asphalt mixture was found in experiments until now to function well in all types of weather and heavy traffic. Up to 10 percent of the surface can be made of glass, the researchers said. "Successful results of the Holon experiment will have important environmental benefits in the effort to recycle solid wastes and prevent it from being buried in dumps," said Yishai. "In addition to these benefits, we must also confirm the expected advantages of light reflection at night and the effects of friction between the tire and the road." The Public Works Council's research program, working with the Technion, has decided to continue financing the research and bring it into the implementation stage. After results in Holon are observed, additional road sections will be paved elsewhere to study the best practical means of production and paving.