5.4Investigate expanded use of recycled materials in asphalt roads and path projects

The maintenance and development of important community infrastructure such as roads and footpaths projects require large amounts of natural materials. Utilising recycled material for these projects, both reduces material needing to be mined or quarried from the natural environment and reduces the amount of road materials going to landfill when upgrade projects are undertaken.

Improvements

We have been working with our asphalt partners to increase the amount of recycled material used in road projects. Moving forward, asphalt maintenance works undertaken will consist of up to 30% of recycled materials (up from 20%), reflecting industry practice to ensure binding and longevity in small batch applications.

A lot of our drainage works also incorporate recycled content in preparing the ground for drains to be laid.

Constraints

Although we are working to find ways to incorporate recycled materials into road and path works, materials used are required to be approved and to meet certain standards. Using too much recycled content can compromise the integrity of the road or path works.

Council is working with industry partners to support innovation in this space. Examples of these include an asphalt road trial with 99 per cent recycled content and a car park trial that incorporated crushed recycled glass in the material mix. Both sites are being monitored for suitability of the material mix, and ongoing structural integrity.