Golden Bay Papercrete Group

Researched and refined by the Golden Bay Papercrete Group, Papercrete is a building material made from paper and glass collected locally or dropped off at the site.

With the assistance of a Tasman District Council Zero Waste grant and a Zero Waste New Zealand Trust grant, the Golden Bay Papercrete Group aims to start the commercial manufacture of papercrete for local use in the building industry as well as for garden and orchard applications. Papercrete has already met building code standards in parts of North America. Ro Piekarski from the Golden Bay Papercrete Group sees this as a model for a community business in other areas of New Zealand.

Mr Piekarski said that it cost Tasman District Council about $50 per cubic meter to bury waste in the council's landfill. The Papercrete initiative could results in savings of $95,000 in Golden Bay alone.

Papercrete Products

Paper fibre is a strong material when made into a slurry and mixed with small amounts of sand or pulverised glass and clay or cement. Depending on the construction application, the papercrete mixture can be designed for greater strength and durability. Papercrete can also be mixed to be highly fire resistant. Its R-value (insulating value) is between 2 and 3 per 25 mm (inch), superior to glass wool and wool batts, and it can be formed into sheets for rigid insulation or applied by trowel. A number of waterproofing materials can be used to weatherseal papercrete.

There is a great deal of interest in papercrete in Golden Bay. In particular, there is a ready market for insulating under floors and over exterior walls of existing buildings with rigid papercrete insulating panels and spray on applications.

Papercrete has the potential to become popular as a low-cost, energy-efficient insulating and building material. People will also realize that they are contributing to their local Zero Waste plan and their community's recycling efforts, plus saving ratepayers' money by not burying reusable resources at the landfill.

For further information contact Ro Piekarski at rojoanna@ihug.co.nz

Funded $7,650 in September 2001.