Alpine Waste & Recycling can now boast its Altogether Recycling plant in Denver has gone green inside and out. Altogether Recycling recently chose an environmentally friendly method to repave a large section of its parking lot, using recycled glass from its own plant.
The facility installed the new and innovative patented porous pavement system, called FilterPave, developed by Denver-based Kaul Corp. and Presto Products Geosystems of Appleton, WI.
“The FilterPave system is a unique porous pavement, integrating 100 percent recycled post-consumer glass solidified with a high-strength, flexible bonding agent in a recycled plastic structure that we manufacture,” said James Debney, president of Presto Products Co. “The system creates a colorful mosaic of specially processed glass aggregate that is structurally stable.”
The pavement system relies on recycled glass and recycled plastic, both found in great abundance at Altogether Recycling. Aggregate base materials filter stormwater and harmful hydrocarbons that leak from automobiles such as engine oil and transmission fluid.
Denver-based Altogether Recycling is a Colorado-owned and operated entity committed to working with partners throughout the state. Its cutting-edge technology separates a wide variety of recyclable materials from a single, mixed stream. Those recyclables include aluminum, cardboard, bottles, cans, newspaper, office paper, and some plastics.
Substantial amounts of the commodities recovered at the Altogether Recycling facility are resold to local businesses. The new plant at 645 W. 53rd Place in Denver gives the recycling community a place to join forces in the effort to divert increasing amounts of material away from landfills. “Every-thing we do at Altogether Recycling has an emphasis on ecology and environmentalism, so the FilterPave porous pavement system was a natural solution for our paving requirements,” said Brent Hildebrand, vice president of Altogether Recycling. “Presto Products Geosystems offers a pavementsystem with a great use for post-consumer recycled glass that allows the glass to be used in a constructive way.”
Benefits Listed
The FilterPave system's many benefits give it a significant advantage over traditional concrete or asphalt pavements, according to Altogether Recycling:
Lower Solar Reflectance Index and Reduced Heat Island Effect: There is a significant reduction in heat reflecting off its surface, creating a cooler surface and eliminating the heat sync associated with other conventional hard-surfaced pavements.High Recycled Content and Eco-Friendly Materials: The system uses 100-percent post-consumer recycled processed glass, up to 97-percent recycled plastic and a bonding agent that is made primarily from natural materials.Stormwater Management: The high porosity system allows water to infiltrate quickly, reducing or eliminating the need for land space and costs associated with on-site stormwater detention/retention ponds.Appearance: In sunlight or under the glow of night lighting, the parking lot at Altogether Recycling sparkles with variant-colored glass particles.
“I hope to continue working with Brent and to have Altogether Recycling become one of our suppliers of processed recycled glass,” said Joe Kaul, owner of Kaul Corp. and distributor for the Mountain States region. “We share a common interest in raising awareness about the environment and providing alternatives that are eco-friendly. It's a natural partnership.”
Bill Handlos, director of new product development for Presto Products, is currently building a post-consumer recycled glass supply network across North America.
“We're currently developing partnerships with strategic glass recycling facilities to service FilterPave pavement installations closer to the source,” said Handlos.
In addition to its environmental benefits, the FilterPave system enters the market at a time when oil prices are soaring and public interest in conserving natural resources is at an all time high. Traditional asphalt pavement utilizes oil as a critical component, whereas the FilterPave system contains about half as much. While rising oil prices translate to a higher cost of asphalt, they have less effect on this pavement system.
The parking lot at Altogether Recycling is one of the first dozen FilterPave pavement pilot projects in the United States. Handlos estimates that the FilterPave system will be available for widespread use in the first quarter of 2009.
Altogether Recycling is a division of Alpine Waste & Recycling. For information, go towww.altogetherrecycling.com.
