A guide for councils on the technical processes involved in incorporating recycled material into roads and pavements has been published by Local Government NSW (LGNSW).
Intended to promote national uniformity and good practice in the specification and application of material reuse in roads and pavements, the guide was produced by the University of Sydney’s Waste Transformation Research Hub.
LGNSW commissioned the research – and financed it through its Research and Innovation Fund – in response to many council engineers avoiding the use of recycled materials because of costs and environmental protection requirements – as well as potential health and safety risks to employees.
LGNSW President Linda Scott said the guide and technical review would feed into the same approach to local manufacturing as the Federal Government was intending in its Budget strategy of injecting $1.5 billion into manufacturing, with recycling being a priority area.
“Making and using recycled materials for roads and pavements is exactly the kind of innovative manufacturing the federal strategy is talking about,” Cr Scott said.
“With the option of shipping waste overseas to end soon, we have to find a viable alternative to deal with it.
“Re-using it as a resource through research such as this not only fosters innovation, it creates new jobs, new economic streams and, of course, it is better for our environment,” she said