Asphalt containing recycled household waste on a Victorian road upgrade is helping pave the future of the state’s circular economy.
The Sunbury Road Upgrade project, part of Major Road Projects Victoria, includes resurfaced sections of road between Bulla-Diggers Rest Road and Jackson’s Creek containing up to 40 per cent recycled materials – diverting more than 18,000 tonnes of waste from landfill.
The sustainable asphalt product incorporates recycled glass sand, and reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). The recycled asphalt is manufactured by Alex Fraser at its new state-of-the-art asphalt plant in Epping.
Peter Murphy, Alex Fraser Managing Director, said the Sunbury Road Upgrade is the latest example of how Victoria is finding practical ways to use recycled products in volume to build quality, greener infrastructure.
Since it was introduced in 2020, the State Government’s Recycled First Policy – which requires all tenderers on Victorian major transport projects to optimise the use of recycled and reused materials – has resulted in more than 2.2 million tonnes being integrated on Victorian transport projects.
The shift to recycled products is being driven by Victoria’s ecologiQ program, which is leveraging Victoria’s Big Build to boost the use of recycled and reused materials.
Alex Fraser has experienced greater demand for its sustainable construction materials in major projects, having supplied more than 465,000 tonnes of its Green Roads products into Big Build in the past year.
Green Roads Construction Material has been used across more than 50 Victorian major infrastructure projects, with many more planned, as well as a number of Level Crossing Removal Projects.
Alexis Davison, Major Road Projects Victoria Program Services and Engineering Director, said it was great to see Victoria leading the way in recycled and reuse initiatives, keeping tonnes of problematic waste out of landfill and reducing the carbon footprint of projects – as well as creating jobs and investment across Melbourne’s north-west.
For more information, visit: www.bigbuild.vic.gov.au
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