Author: Sarina Aguinaldo

Client: BMD
Government Partner: Major Roads Project Victoria
Provider: Soil Recycling Co

Background:

In the heart of the commercial landscape industry, a significant challenge has persisted: the inefficiency of handling usable topsoil. Traditional practices saw trucks removing valuable topsoil from sites, only to later import similar material, creating unnecessary carbon emissions and waste.

Soil Recycling Co was established to revolutionise this process,working with the Mickleham Rd project—a key initiative under Major Roads Project Victoria.

The Challenge:

The Mickleham Rd project presented an opportunity to showcase sustainable practices in soil management. The goal was to reduce waste and carbon emissions by recycling topsoil on site, rather than the costly and environmentally harmful practice of transporting soil off and back to the site.

Our Process:

Our journey began with a comprehensive soil assessment conducted by a certified agronomist. This analysis focused on the soil’s texture, structure, and chemistry, providing the foundation for our topsoil amelioration strategy. Our tailored approach involved:

•   Screening: To remove debris and large particles, ensuring a uniform soil texture.
•   Mixing: To ameliorate the soil, creating a consistent healthy material.
•   Aerating: To improve soil structure, enhancing root penetration and water infiltration.
•   Enriching: We added compost, fertilisers, and gypsum to boost the soil’s fertility and health.

Achievements on the Mickleham Rd Project:

For the Mickleham Rd project with BMD, we processed 2,090m3 of topsoil, implementing our sustainable soil management practices. This initiative not only made the existing topsoil usable but also aligned with eco-friendly principles.

Environmental Impact:

Our innovative approach significantly reduced CO2 emissions, with an estimated saving of 1 tonne of emissions for every 193 cubic metres of imported topsoil avoided – that’s a total of 10.82 tonnes reduced! Moreover, Soil Recycling Co is dedicated to offsetting our carbon footprint, committing to plant 15 trees for every tonne of emissions generated by our operations through our partnership with Greenfleet Australia.

By reusing onsite topsoil, we’ve helped BMD avoid the unnecessary truck movement & landfill disposal of usable soil, further underscoring the project’s environmental benefits.

Conclusion:

Soil Recycling Co is proud to be at the forefront of sustainable landscaping and construction practices. The Mickleham Rd project, a Major Roads Project Victoria initiative, stands as a testament to what can be achieved when innovation meets commitment to the environment.

We’re not just recycling soil; we’re paving the way for a greener future in the construction industry.

Join us as we continue to make construction smarter and more sustainable.

Soil Recycling Co’s offerings are featured on the iSupply Directory, enabling us to contribute to credits within this program.

Calculator for reduced C02 emissions.

For the importation of 2090 m3 of topsoil using a truck and trailer:

Total Hours Required: 139.33 hours at a rate of 15 m3/hour
Total Fuel Consumption: 1567.4 litres at 11.25 litres per hour
Total CO2 Emissions: 4232 kg using an emission factor of 2.7 kg CO2 per litre of diesel

When it comes to the disposal of the same volume using a positrack alongside the truck and trailer:

Total Fuel Consumption: 1567.4 + 870.8 = 2,438.2 litres combined (T&T @ 11.25 litres per hour, Positrack @ 6.25 litres per hour)
Total CO2 Emissions: 6583 kg using an emission factor of 2.7 kg CO2 per litre of diesel

The combined emissions for both importing and disposing are:

Combined Total CO2 Emissions: 4232 kg from imported plus 6583 kg from disposal, which equals 10.8 tonnes.