Growing grass - recycled glass sand turf trial promising.
5.7Participate in recycled glass sand trial
Progress
- Not started
- Planning
- Implementation
- Completed
Description
Sand is a key material used for providing a growing medium for field turf to be laid. It is also a mined natural resource which has limited supply.
Council is investigating the suitability of incorporating recycled glass sand as a growing medium to support Council’s vision to transition to a circular economy. If successful, this will potentially reduce the amount of sand waste sent to landfill and reduce the amount of virgin sand mined for maintaining sports fields.
Official description
Participate in an Australian first recycled glass sand trial to determine if it is a suitable growing medium for natural turf.
(According to the action plan)Read more
Tasks
What's left to do?
- 31/12/2023
Live Site Trial
What has been done?
- 31/12/2022
Initial Trial
SportEng (Sport Engineering Consultants) run the initial recycled sand turf trial. The trial site was 6m x 6mm with three marked zones. Three different medium mixed were used in each zone:
- Trial plot 1: conventional quarried rootzone sand
- Trial plot 2: recycled glass sand
- Trial plot 3: 50/50 blend of conventional quarried rootzone sand and recycled glass sand
Success was seen in a 50/50 mix of sand glass and turf sand, with further testing to come.
Summary and contacts
Contact persons
Environmental Sustainability team
City of Boroondara
Information updated 22/03/2023
The trial will go into the next phase, with a live site trial to occur at H.A. Smith Reserve (458 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn). The live trial will incorporate two small plots and likely run over the winter season.