Australian Made Coloured Recycled Glass by OmniGrip Direct

A Coloured Surface Treatment is a coloured surface that reminds road users of the special purpose of a lane or space on a road. Examples are green surfaces in bike lanes, red surfaces for bus lanes and yellow surfaces on pedestrian crossings. Important characteristics are durable texture for lifetime skid resistance and durable colour to delineate the special purpose of the road space. High performing coloured surface treatments have a typical life of 7-years, depending on traffic, and use coloured Australian recycled-glass as the aggregate.

Paint and thermoplastics are specifically prohibited as Coloured Surface Treatments by road agency standard specifications in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.

OmniGrip CST is TIPES Certified (Level 3) – the toughest and highest level of certification available for coloured surface treatments in Australia. Although TIPES for CST was developed by Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads, with specifications being similar along Australia’s east coast, it should be referred to in other States and Territories to verify that a supplier or contractors claims have been independently verified.

Most coloured surface treatment contractors will not be able to provide evidence that their product is compliant with State based specifications, eg NATA test results and heavily trafficked sites that have remained compliant for at least five years.

Does OmniGrip Direct use Australian recycled materials in its surfaces?

OmniGrip Direct uses inert Australian recycled glass and recycled rubber in its most popular surfacings. A range of natural aggregates is also available for decorative finishes.

Where is the recycled-glass in OmniGrip products from?

The recycled glass in OmniGrip Direct’s surfacings is from Australia – we do not import our glass. Every square metre of our recycled surfaces reduces waste to landfill. Always ask where the glass comes from in a surface and whether it is recycled or virgin glass.

Does OmniGrip CST contaminate drains and waterways?

The major component of OmniGrip CST is inert recycled-glass. It does not quickly wear and break-down into microplastics like many short-lived coloured surface treatments from the linemarking and roadmarking industries.

Shedding of aggregate is actually a normal part of road construction in which some aggregate comes loose when the road is first open to traffic – for normal road surfaces it is black or grey bitumen-coated stone that people don’t notice. 

If you notice a build-up of loose brightly coloured recycled-glass on a project please call us. We’ll firstly verify whether it was our project and if so, arrange for it to be cleaned up by ourselves or our head contractor. Otherwise we’ll suggest how you can report it to the responsible road agency so that the responsible contractor is made to clean up their site.

We recycle our swept material for future road and path projects.

Are your products compliant with Victoria’s ‘Recycled First’ policy?

OmniGrip Direct uses Australian recycled-glass in OmniGrip CST and OmniGrip Re-Surface (formerly OmniGrip Deco), and in OmniGrip Hybrid HF. We do not import glass. Using these products contributes to a Council or contractor’s compliance with the Recycled First policy in Victoria.

Are recycled-glass surfaces safe for motorcyclists?

Our recycled glass surface have been used on public roads for around 20 years and has recently been recommended by a road safety expert for use on popular motorcycling routes. When used as pavement markings, white and other coloured OmniGrip CST surfaces have higher skid-resistance than typical painted road markings.
The specially prepared glass is similar to the natural aggregates widely used on many Australian and New Zealand roads – there are no sharp glass edges. The glass is prepared to the requirements of Australian road agencies for coloured surface treatments.

Are recycled glass surfaces safe for people riding bicycles?

Our coloured recycled glass surfaces have been used on bus lanes and bicycle lanes for around 20 years. They are more durable and have higher skid-resistance than painted surfaces. Coloured surfaces like OmniGrip CST are Cycling Victoria’s preferred method of colouring bicycle lanes, reducing the likelihood that a rider will slide and fall.
The coloured glass is specially prepared – there are no sharp glass edges. Its textured finish gives it the skid-resistance required to reduce the likelihood of bicycle riders and motor vehicles skidding and sliding when crossing the area of coloured surface. The glass is prepared to the requirements of Australian road agencies for coloured surface treatments.

What surfaces can OmniGrip be applied to?

Many of OmniGrip Direct’s surfacing products can be applied to bitumen, asphalt, concrete, timber and steel surfaces. Please contact us to discuss your exact needs.

What is the photoluminescence in OmniGrip PL photoluminescent paint?

There’s no harmful radiation involved. Photoluminescence occurs when a type of molecule in Smarterlite photoluminescent linemarking or coatings absorbs a photon. This excites electrons in the molecule to a higher energised state. As the electrons slowly return to their normal state they emit photons of energy as visible light over a long period of time.

What are Stud Lights?

Stud Lights are LED pavement markers, also knows as LED in-ground LED lights and internally illuminated pavement markers (IIPM). The Vivacity Stud Light range includes battery powered LED stud lights and hybrid solar-battery LED stud lights. LED Pavement Markers are compliant with AS1742.

Do in-ground footpath LED lights improve safety?

In-ground footpath LED lights like Vivacity LED Safety Tactiles (TGSI) are more visible than standard red and green pedestrian walk lights in traffic signals. An example of human-centred design, the LED Safety Tactiles are more easily seen because they are much larger and located near-side to the pedestrian, instead of a small light located across the width of the road. Pedestrians report that they feel safer.

Are there OmniGrip Direct distributors?

OmniGrip Direct supplies and installs our surfaces.  If someone claims to be selling you OmniGrip as a surface, contact us to verify the claim.  Please call us on 1300 961 678 or email estimating@omnigripdirect.com.au.

IS OmniGrip AVAILABLE in NSW?

Yes, OmniGrip Direct provides services in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Please contact us. 

IS OmniGrip AVAILABLE in the ACT?

Yes, OmniGrip Direct provides services in the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales. Please contact us.

IS OmniGrip AVAILABLE in Queensland?

OmniGrip Direct has a depot in Archerfield, Brisbane and provides services in Queensland and Northern New South Wales. Please contact us. There are no other Authorised Suppliers or Distributors of our product in Queensland or northern New South Wales other than OmniGrip Direct.

IS OmniGrip AVAILABLE in Tasmania?

Yes, OmniGrip Direct provides services in Tasmania. Please contact us.

IS OmniGrip AVAILABLE in South Australia?

Yes, OmniGrip Direct provides services in South Australia. Please contact us.

IS OmniGrip AVAILABLE in Western Australia?

OmniGrip Direct is a 100% Australian-owned company. OmniGrip Direct, Vivacity, Safety Path and Smarterlite are brands of Polar Enviro. 

The Australian Government defines a crash Black Spot as having at least three casualty crashes over a five-year period, or an average of 0.2 casualty crashes per kilometre per annum over the length in question over five years. Low-cost treatments like OmniGrip Direct’s can reduce the likelihood of crashes in Black Spots and Black Lengths by assisting drivers and motorcycle riders with staying within their lane.