Recycled concrete for Tweed roads reduces landfill

TWEED Shire Council is using recycled concrete to deliver sustainable infrastructure in an effort to reduce landfill waste.

In the last month, crushed concrete was used to construct an internal haul road between Tweed’s primary recycling and landfill facility, Stotts Creek Resource Recovery Centre, and the site of a yet-to-be-constructed landfill.

Council’s Resource Recovery Unit Coordinator Rodney Dawson said the initiative shows the Council’s commitment to work towards a zero-waste future by reusing valuable resources that would have previously gone to waste.

“As part of our Towards Zero Waste strategy, we’re working towards a circular economy where materials are repurposed, processed and reused, resulting in less to landfill,” Dawson said.

“Since 2019, we’ve been recycling concrete that has been disposed of by Tweed residents and businesses.

“We’ve been receiving and processing about 10,000 tonnes per year and have reused around 8,000 tonnes of this concrete for the construction of the haul road,” he said.

Samples of crushed concrete undergo laboratory testing to ensure it meets NSW EPA and construction standards.

“Construction and demolition waste is responsible for 45 per cent of Australia’s total waste. By exploring new methods to reuse construction and demolition waste, Tweed can create opportunities for recycling and reuse, ultimately reducing both our need for new materials and our reliance on landfill,” Dawson said.