Improving circularity whilst maintaining safety
Galvanized steel is an ideal material to repurpose and refurbish. Batch galvanized steel is extensively used in infrastructure applications to provide decades of maintenance-free service. The search for circular solutions has identified significant opportunities for renovation and reuse of these ubiquitous galvanized steel components.
As public bodies look to incorporate circular principles, a recent decision by the Dutch Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management (Rijkswaterstaat) to implement both (i) direct reuse and (ii) regalvanizing and reuse of highway guard rails (safety barriers) is the result of an examination of the supply chain and its potential for improved circularity whilst maintaining road safety.
A project involving installation contractors, guard rail suppliers and galvanizers supported by specialist agencies, placed the whole chain under the ‘circular economy microscope’. The approach is already being implemented in a validation project on Dutch roads.
Galvanized steel highway guard rails can be dismantled for reuse or regalvanizing with up to 70% savings in CO2 emissions. Rijkswaterstaat’s decision to move forward with reuse and regalvanizing was driven by some important evaluations. They found that often guard rails are replaced as a result of other road maintenance reasons but can have a remaining life of up to 24 years. These products can be directly reused on the road system.
Galvanized steel highway guard rails can be dismantled for reuse or regalvanizing with up to 70% savings in CO2 emissions.
Rijkswaterstaat’s decision to move forward with reuse and regalvanizing was driven by some important evaluations. They found that often guard rails are replaced as a result of other road maintenance reasons but can have a remaining life of up to 24 years. These products can be directly reused on the road system.
Used guard rails requiring regalvanizing can be renovated with significant benefits compared to new ‘virgin’ installations, delivering:
- 40% reduction in environmental costs
- 70% reduction in CO2 emissions
- Estimated that a new stand would have cost at least € 200,000
- 10% reduction in costs.
This proves that remaking can also offer considerable cost benefits. Circularity can be cost effective as well as environmentally beneficial.
