The NSW Government’s Waste Reduction and Purchasing Policy (WRAPP) was initiated in 1997 to minimise waste generated across all Government sectors, and help increase the market for materials containing recycled content. To achieve these objectives, State Government agencies are required to operate as ‘model’ waste managers by:
Avoiding the generation of wastes.
Segregating wastes for re-use and recycling.
Purchasing products with recycled content and/or low waste products, where they are both cost and performance competitive.
Wastes targeted by the WRAPP include:
Purchasing Recycled-Content Road Construction and Maintenance Materials
RTA contractors are now required to propose recycled-content materials where they are cost- and performance-competitive and are at least the environmental equivalent of the non-recycled alternatives. The cost competitiveness of a product or material must be assessed on a project lifecycle basis, considering issues such as impacts on construction practices, future maintenance and disposal requirements. Contractors are also required to report waste minimisation quantities, initiatives and barriers. It should be noted that these new requirements apply to projects tendered from January 2004.
This overarching requirement for “green” procurement is supported by an expanding set of specifications that allow for varying amounts of recycled content. As of 1 July 2004, the following key road construction and maintenance specifications allowed for recycled and recovered materials procurement:
RTA QA Spec R116 Asphalt – allowing up to 15 per cent reclaimed asphalt pavement within asphalt. Percentages greater than this must be accompanied by appropriate testing and qualified technical assessment.
RTA QA Specs 3051/3052 allow for the use of recycled materials within base and sub-base of pavements.
RTA QA Spec 3071 allows for recycled content within selected formation material.
RTA QA Spec 3252 allows use of scrap rubber within certain modified binder classes.
RTA QA Spec R178 allows stockpiling and reuse of soil from site and the use of cellulose fibre mulch, which must be produced from pinus radiata plantation timber or from recycled paper.
Various concrete specifications allow for the use of fly ash, slag and silica fume within concrete mixes.
R73 for heavily bound pavement course permits the use of recycled materials as aggregates and binders at depths of around 170 to 300 mm within pavements.
RTA QA Spec R75 – In Situ Pavement Recycling by Deep-Lift Cementitious Stabilisation. Allows mechanical incorporation of existing pavement with binding agents (by-products of the steel and electricity industries).
RTA G38 and G39 allow for the use of recovered water for road projects.
RTA R63 permits the use of recycled materials in the manufacture of geotextiles.
RTA R50 allows for the use of slag/lime blends for stabilisation of earthworks. A ‘Towards Best Practice’ note was issued to inform staff of findings and limitations.
Refer to the Specifications page on the RTA website for electronic copies of these and other RTA specifications.
Reporting on our Waste Minimisation Progress
Each year the RTA reports to the public on its implementation of the NSW Government’s Waste Reduction and Purchasing Policy (WRAPP). Refer to the RTA Annual Report and RTA Annual Environment Report each year for this information.
The RTA also provides a comprehensive WRAPP progress report to the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) every two years – the next report being due in late 2005.
Interesting Links
For more information on NSW Government policies and strategies of relevance to waste minimisation, visit:
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