The Western Australian Government’s Roads to Reuse program should be adopted nationally, according to National Waste and Recycling Industry Council (NWRIC) CEO Rose Read.
Administered by the Waste Authority, Roads to Reuse seeks to encourage state government organisations, local governments, regional councils and the private sector to use recycled C&D products in civil applications, such as road construction.
According to Read, the program has a great approach of bringing the supply chain together, ensuring certainty of supply and quality materials, as well as a competitive pricing model.
“The Roads to Reuse Pilot is an exemplar of how industry and government can work together to drive greater reuse of recycled materials in civil construction works,” she said.
“The wholistic approach of bringing the supply chain together, setting clear material specifications, construction standards and quality assurance is essential for the transition to greater uptake of recycled material use by the construction sector.”
Read added that that the material specifications in place, as well as quality assurance processes, were key to the program’s success.
“By having agreed material specifications and a strong quality assurance process in place, recyclers know what quality materials they must deliver, and the construction industry has confidence and certainty in both the quality of the material and its timely supply,” she said.
A pilot project between the Waste Authority and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, in partnership with Main Roads WA and with assistance from NWRIC state affiliate the Waste and Recycling Industry Association of WA, was completed in 2020.
“NWRIC will be promoting the nationwide adoption of this approach to other states and territories to drive greater recovery and reuse of construction and demolition materials back into civil works across Australia,” Read said.
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