Waste minimisation

Stockpile

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:

  • Construction and demolition materials.
  • Vegetation material.
  • Paper products.
  • Office equipment and consumables (such as toner cartridges).

Purchasing Recycled-Content Road Construction and Maintenance Materials

Roads and Maritime Services (replacing Roads and Traffic Authority) 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:

  • Roads and Maritime Services (replacing Roads and Traffic Authority) 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.
  • Roads and Maritime Services (replacing Roads and Traffic Authority) QA Specs 3051/3052 allow for the use of recycled materials within base and sub-base of pavements.
  • Roads and Maritime Services (replacing Roads and Traffic Authority) QA Spec 3071 allows for recycled content within selected formation material.
  • Roads and Maritime Services (replacing Roads and Traffic Authority) QA Spec 3252 allows use of scrap rubber within certain modified binder classes.
  • Roads and Maritime Services (replacing Roads and Traffic Authority) 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.
  • Roads and Maritime Services (replacing Roads and Traffic Authority) 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).
  • Roads and Maritime Services (replacing Roads and Traffic Authority) G38 and G39 allow for the use of recovered water for road projects.
  • Roads and Maritime Services (replacing Roads and Traffic Authority) R63 permits the use of recycled materials in the manufacture of geotextiles.
  • Roads and Maritime Services (replacing Roads and Traffic Authority) 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 Roads and Maritime Services (replacing Roads and Traffic Authority) website for electronic copies of these and other Roads and Maritime Services (replacing Roads and Traffic Authority) specifications.

Reporting on our Waste Minimisation Progress

Each year Roads and Maritime Services (replacing Roads and Traffic Authority) reports to the public on its implementation of the NSW Government’s Waste Reduction and Purchasing Policy (WRAPP). Refer to Roads and Maritime Services (replacing Roads and Traffic Authority) Annual Report and Roads and Maritime Services (replacing Roads and Traffic Authority) Annual Environment Report each year for this information.

Roads and Maritime Services (replacing Roads and Traffic Authority) 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: