SSROC paves way for councils to use more RCG on roads

A contract believed to be the largest local government-led procurement of recycled road-making materials in NSW history has been put to public tender.

The open market tender to provide recycled crushed glass (RCG) asphalt for road construction and maintenance activities for the 15 council members of the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC) was released on 1 September.

It forms part of SSROC’s Paving the Way initiative to “create a closed-loop market for one-third of council domestic glass collections, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and quarry depletion, and stimulate regional infrastructural development by replacing natural sand with RCG in asphalt, non-structural concrete, and pipe bedding”.

The materials for the RCG will be based on Transport for NSW and AUS-SPEC specifications.

SSROC president Councillor John Faker said participating councils were using their purchasing power to accelerate the growth of a “fledgling industry” and will create a model for other councils, government agencies, and industry to follow.

“Local governments, especially through a joint collaborative approach, are in a strategic position to support and create end markets for products with recycled content and safeguard the future resilience of regional resource recovery systems by supporting key infrastructure.”

The tender will remain open until 13 October.