One hundred per cent of construction and demolition waste from Victoria’s South Road Upgrade project is being diverted from landfill.
As part of Victoria’s Big Build, the project is upgrading intersections along South Road between the Nepean Highway and Warrigal Road in Melbourne’s southeast.
All construction waste from the project is being redirected to recycling facilities where it is processed to produce new products and materials. In addition, the team is using asphalt containing recycled material for upgrades to three intersections.
Demonstrating the Victorian Government’s Recycled First Policy in action, works on some layers of the road are using up to 40 per cent recycled asphalt, and drainage pipes made from 100 per cent recycled plastic are being used.
The Recycled First Policy, in place since March 2020, requires all tenderers on major transport projects in Victoria to demonstrate how they will prioritise the use of reused and recycled materials, and encourages the use of new and innovative products to do so.
The policy has resulted in projects such as the Mordialloc Freeway, which successfully incorporated more than 800,000 tonnes of repurposed and recycled material, including 570 tonnes of plastic waste used for plastic noise walls.
“In Melbourne’s southeast, existing landfill sites are expected to reach capacity in 5 years, so finding environmentally friendly alternatives is a priority for us, along with Negri Contractors who are working in partnership to deliver the project,” a statement from Major Road Projects Victoria read.
The South Road Upgrade project is due for completion in early 2023.
For more information, visit: bigbuild.vic.gov.au
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