Recycled Waste in New Road a Win for Shoalhaven
Published on 06 July 2020
Shoalhaven City continues its recycling achievements with works recently completed on a new road made from asphalt with high recycled content using soft plastics, glass, toner and reclaimed road.
The new road utilises Australia's first asphalt product that creates a sustainable, cost effective solution that performs as well or better than conventional asphalt.
According to supplier Downer, a kilometre of road (two lanes) paved with Reconophalt can contain: 500,000 plastic bag and packaging equivalents, 165,000 glass bottle equivalents and toner from 12,000 used printer cartridges. The Reconophalt material had extensive testing for environmental impact and found to cause no harm when compared with standard asphalt and is subject to a fully approved NSW EPA waste recovery order and exemption.
Mayor Amanda Findley said, "The construction of this road in Plunkett Street, Nowra is an important step towards a more sustainable Shoalhaven.
"The fact that this product is cost effective and performs well as a road surface, as well as repurposing postconsumer soft plastics, glass and toner into higher value products is a win, win," Clr Findley said.
"Utilising products that would have ended up in landfill, stockpiled or as a pollutant in our natural environments has many economic, social and environmental benefits.
"The new road, along with the planned West Nowra Resource Recovery Facility, are setting new benchmarks in recycling and repurposing waste materials into new streams of use," she said.
Once the West Nowra Resource Recovery Facility is built in a couple of years, over 90% of the Shoalhaven's household mixed-waste will be diverted from landfill. The facility will capture all recyclables, including green waste and convert them into biomass that can be used as an additive for brick manufacture and cement rendering.
"Shoalhaven City Council is committed to reducing waste across the region and will continue to implement innovative solutions to the challenge of landfill shortages," said Clr Findley.
Shoalhaven City Council Mayor Amanda Findley recognises the use of recycled printer cartridges in constructing the new road in Plunkett Street, Nowra.