North Lanarkshire Council is the first in the UK to trial the use of EcoFlakes
The resurfacing project at Strathclyde Park included the use of recycled plastic product EcoFlakes(Image: Contributed/Hamilton Advertiser)
Recycled plastic has been used to renew road surfaces at Strathclyde Park in only the second use of the innovative new material in Scotland.
The new EcoFlakes – made from reused “post-consumer plastics” – are added to asphalt to create a road surfacing material which reduces the use of bitumen, allows lower production and laying temperatures to save energy, and reduces carbon emissions by up to 20 per cent.
North Lanarkshire Council had already become the first user of the new technology in the UK when it was successfully used on Chapelknowe Road in Motherwell late last year, and now its distributors have shared images of its use in Strathclyde Park’s watersports centre car park.
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Its installation was delivered with the council and their partner Hochtief, as part of their ongoing work in the Centre of Excellence for Decarbonising Roads project.
North Lanarkshire roads and asset services manager Scott Walker said: “Through this initiative, we have tested a range of low-carbon materials in live environments, helping overcome technical, behavioural and market barriers.
“We will continue to monitor performance and share findings across partners throughout the UK.”
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EcoFlakes distributor ACI Group said contractors on the Strathclyde Park project “reported the material was highly workable and comparable to traditional mixes, ensuring smooth installation and consistent performance” and praised the “swift” second project using the recycled plastic product.
Business development manager Andy Bowers said: “This second successful EcoFlakes project in Scotland shows how quickly innovation can move from trial to trusted application when performance is proven in the field.
“At Strathclyde country park, EcoFlakes Pro delivered a material that combines high performance, improved workability and a significantly reduced carbon footprint.”
EcoFlakes were developed by German company Ecopals, whose managing partner Jonas Varga said: “Seeing our technology applied for a second time in Scotland so soon after the first trial is incredibly exciting.
“With multiple projects already in the pipeline, this rapid adoption shows the asphalt performance is convincing partners and shaping low-carbon roads at scale.”
North Lanarkshire is the only Scottish council taking part in the UK-wide Live Labs 2 programme, a £30 million project aiming to decarbonise the road network.
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