A CDE washing plant integrated with a Turmec dry processing system is at the heart of a C&D waste revolution in Brisbane
The commissioning of Rino Recycling’s landmark construction & demolition (C&D) waste recycling plant in Brisbane this year signals a key moment for the future of South East Queensland (SEQ), says material processing machinery manufacturer CDE, which has supplied a waste processing system to the facility.
The hybrid plant, which integrates both wet and dry processes, is capturing high-value construction materials that would have otherwise been sent to landfill.
CDE, which designed and engineered the wet processing solution that integrates with the Turmec-supplied dry processing system, says the plant will make important contributions to SEQ over the coming years.
“South East Queensland is in the early stages of a very significant investment period,” CDE Australasia general manager Daniel Webber says.
“Over the next two decades, we’re going to see a real uptick in construction to support the development of major infrastructure and large-scale capital projects. The SEQ City Deal is creating a more connected, prosperous and sustainable South East Queensland region and this plant will be one of the primary supply lines to help deliver on those aims in an economic and environmentally sustainable way.”
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The $1.8 billion SEQ City Deal is a long-term collaboration between the three levels of government – the Australian government, Queensland government and the Council of Mayors SEQ – to deliver 29 commitments aimed at generating long-term benefits for the SEQ region.
Alongside major capital investments to support population growth, such as a new Brisbane Metro station at Woolloongabba, other key areas of investment in the SEQ City Deal include resource recovery infrastructure.
“Rino Recycling is ahead of the curve in this respect. This plant is really leading the charge towards a circular economy and flying the flag for C&D waste as a viable alternative to virgin quarried materials,” Weber says.
Power of collaboration
The new plant can accept a wide range of highly variable waste streams, including commercial skip and bin waste, C&D waste, hydro excavation waste, concrete and excavated fills.
Linked by a network of conveyors, waste materials transition between the wet and dry systems without manual input. First, feed material is processed via Turmec’s dry mixed recyclables plant to separate fines and remove contaminants before passing through CDE’s wet processing plant to produce a range of washed and graded recycled sand and aggregate products.
“This really is uncharted territory,” Webber says.
“It’s the first time two systems of this kind have been brought together in this way, under one roof. It’s living proof that wet and dry waste recycling can coincide, and it highlights the power of collaboration because the results are undeniable.”
A cleaner future
The fully-automated facility has a maximum processing capacity of 475 tonnes of C&D waste per hour – equivalent to 1.5 million tonnes per year – and while the plant has only been operational for a number of months it is expected to reach full capacity in the next 12-18 months, according to Rino’s Daniel Blaser.
“We’re currently operating at around 50 per cent of our total capacity, but this is steadily increasing to the point we anticipate reaching full capacity by the end of 2025,” he says.
“A major component of the work we’re doing is about educating the industry about the potential of recycled construction materials. We’re making a very strong case in favour of recycled sand and aggregate. More and more are adapting and as that increases, so too will our capacity to meet that growing demand. We see a greener, cleaner future just over the horizon and are steadfast in our commitment to see it realised.”
Webber adds: “Historically in this region, trucks had to travel considerably long distances to access resource recovery facilities. It essentially made waste recycling a cost-prohibitive exercise. This solution and its proximity to Brisbane’s Central Business District – the beating heart of many major infrastructure projects – will help reduce the sector’s carbon footprint by tackling the waste burden, repurposing materials, and limiting the need to extract new raw materials.”
Water neutrality
CDE’s water management and recycling means up to 95 per cent of the water passing through the wash plant is recycled and immediately recirculated for reuse in the system. This is made possible by a closed-circuit configuration of CDE’s AquaCycle thickener, holding tanks for recycled water and sludge, and a filter press.
Operating in unison alongside the core processing plant is the addition of CDE’s Hydro:Tip, which handles non-destructive digging muds. Clean water from the vacuum waste is also recovered. This top-up water coupled with that recovered by CDE’s water treatment process means the plant is totally water self-sufficient.
“Achieving water neutrality is no small feat, but the benefits both economically and environmentally are huge,” Weber says.
“From water permits and environmental assessments to water scarcity and increasing pressure from population growth, insufficient water supply can really drive up operating expenditure. The value of construction materials increase significantly when washed, so a water neutral plant reduces costs and helps produce products that command a premium.”
The plant is currently producing a wide variety of materials, including washed fine sand and aggregates in a range of sizes: 5mm, 10mm, 20mm, and 40/70mm.