Local governments will receive a financial incentive to use recycled construction and demolition waste in civil projects such as road construction, as part of a new $350,000 scheme.
The Roads to Reuse: Local Government Incentives Program provides a payment of $5 per tonne of product used by local governments and sourced from accredited suppliers.
Payments are capped at $35,000 per local government, equating to 7,000 tonnes of product, and issued on a ‘first come first served’ basis.
The initiative was announced by the Environment Minister at today’s Waste & Recycle Conference 2022.
Construction and demolition waste is a priority in the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030, which sets a target of increasing material recovery to 80 per cent by 2030.
The program will help close the recycling loop, support local jobs and investment, and move Western Australia towards a more circular economy.
This is a State Government initiative developed by the Waste Authority and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, in partnership with Main Roads WA, the Department of Health and the Waste and Recycling Industry WA.
Main Roads has used more than 100,000 tonnes of ‘Roads to Reuse’ recycled products in the Kwinana Freeway widening project, as well as the Leach Highway and Tonkin Gap projects, and plans to increase use even more.
As stated by Environment Minister Reece Whitby:
“Recycling construction and demolition waste is a priority for the McGowan Government and can play an important role in achieving the State’s material recovery targets and a more circular economy.
“The use of recycled products can be very cost effective, while delivering time, labour and water savings during construction on top of significant environmental benefits.”
