The Road to Sustainable Development
Stabilised Pavements of Australia - Leading the Way
Roads are an essential part of our economic and social well being with
almost our entire daily needs being delivered by or accessed from the road
network. While they provide a flexible and efficient means of transporting
people and goods from one place to another their construction and use has an
impact on the environment. Stabilised Pavements of Australia (SPA)
recognises the need to find the balance between economic and social benefits
of road construction and the protection of our precious environment.
SPA is a specialist road stabilisation and recycling business, providing
services in the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of pavements.
SPA's efforts to continually improve its environmental performance are
demonstrated by its management of worksites and methods of road construction
it offers.
Management of Worksites
The SPA's commitment to managing environmental issues is documented in
its Environment Policy. This document outlines the environmental management
framework for the organisation to work within and has the support of its
Directors.
To meet the environmental commitments documented in its Environmental
Policy SPA has developed an Environmental Management System that outlines
objectives, strategies and actions that govern all of SPA's worksites,
including its work depots (see case study).
The main aspects addressed by SPA's Environmental Management System is
the management of its impacts upon air quality, noise, water quality, site
contamination, waste, dangerous goods and heritage. Implementation of SPA's
Environmental Management System has lead to initiatives that have avoided
harm to the environment, reduced impacts and identified opportunities to
recycle materials.
Methods of Road Construction
SPA's road stabilisation and recycling services help alleviate a number
of environmental concerns. Stabilisation helps preserve natural finite
resources by recycling existing materials, which also reduces the need for
landfill. The use of industrial by products such as ground granulated blast
furnace slag and fly ash as binders results in savings to the community.
SPA's insitu stabilisation achieves less disruption to traffic and
improves road safety. Insitu recycling also reduces the amount of road
making materials that is hauled, with subsequent reduction in wear and tear
on the road network and protection of natural heritage through the reduction
in the number of gravel pits. Vehicle emissions are also reduced as less
material haulage occurs.
Road stabilisation and recycling deliver cost savings by as much as 15 to
50% compared to traditional methods of road construction and SPA recognises
that its' business benefits from meeting community and government
expectations. SPA is therefore committed to employing methods of road
construction that minimise harm to the environment, meet social needs and
reduce costs to the community.
Case Study
Somersby Works Depot
Located on the Central Coast of NSW is SPA's Headquarters and main works
depot. SPA was one of the first industries to establish themself within the
Somersby Industrial Estate after the State Government dismissed Somersby in
the 1970's as a potential site for Sydney's second airport.
The site is ideally situated because of its proximity to skilled labour,
services and the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway. It is approximately 2 hectares
and is primarily used for administration, road plant maintenance and
logistic support for its Australian and overseas group companies. The site
contains remnant vegetation that provides potential habitat for native
fauna species that are locally indigenous and some that are endangered. The
site also contains an aboriginal heritage site.
These environmental attributes present unique management issues for
Somersby works depot, which are reflected in SPA's Environmental Management
System. Efforts are made to contain the impacts of SPA's activities to
within the operational areas of its site, while 'exclusion management
practices' are employed for the conservation of remanent vegetation and the
aboriginal heritage site.
SPA endeavours to manage its Somersby Site as an operational work site
while maintaining its unique intrinsic values that are of interest to
employees, visitors and the community.
Somersby Worksite
Stabilised Pavements of Australia Pty Limited
234 Wisemans Ferry Road
Somersby NSW 2250
For more information Contact Us
Back to Top
|
)