❓ Mr. Michael asks about the McGowan government's use of recycled materials in transport infrastructure projects. The Minister details extensive use of recycled concrete, plastic, glass, and rubber, highlighting environmental and economic benefits.
AnsweredQoN 192Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
— RECYCLED MATERIALS
192. Mr D.R. MICHAEL to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's record investment in transformational road and rail
infrastructure across Western Australia.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house how the government is embracing sustainability in the
delivery of these projects, including through the use of recycled materials?
(2) Can the minister advise what
this means for our environment and the budget bottom line?
— RECYCLED MATERIALS
192. Mr D.R. MICHAEL to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's record investment in transformational road and rail
infrastructure across Western Australia.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house how the government is embracing sustainability in the
delivery of these projects, including through the use of recycled materials?
(2) Can the minister advise what
this means for our environment and the budget bottom line?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question.
(1)–(2) Of
course, we are spending a record amount on infrastructure throughout the state—a
record program of transport infrastructure.
But we also are coupling that with a record amount of recycling of materials
across the state. A lot of the new roads that people are driving on and the
new rail lines that they will be travelling on
include a lot of recycled material. Over the past three years, Main Roads has
used over 4.6 million tonnes of recycled or re-used material across the
state. This includes crushed recycled concrete produced from concrete and
demolition waste. In fact—I like this story because it demonstrates
exactly what can be done with recycled
material—about 98 per cent of the concrete from the two-tier and
three-tier football stands a t Subiaco Oval and the old hospital was
re-used in the Kwinana Freeway base, which is incredible. If we think about it,
when travelling along that road, we are travelling on the area that we used to
sit in while watching our favourite team play on the weekends. It is
incredible.
Dr A.D. Buti : South Fremantle
winning the grand final.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI :
If South Fremantle win the grand final. The Dockers are doing well.
It also helps produce a better
outcome. For the Morley–Ellenbrook line, we are set to use over 21 000
tonnes of crushed recycled concrete in our busways, roads and car parks.
Recycled plastic is being used in noise walls for the Thornlie–Cockburn
Link and the Byford rail extension. In particular, we believe that using
recycled plastic in noise walls has a huge future. We are testing and trialling
that because we believe that re-using that type of material for noise walls will be very effective in using
some of our unused or recycled plastic. We also re-used crushed glass in
some of the areas adjacent to our rail lines. Main Roads has also supported the
establishment of three recycling factories
for crushed rubber. Crushed rubber is being used by local governments and, of
course, the state government in all of its infrastructure program. We
see this as having massive potential to continue to reduce waste, not only for government projects, but also for all private
sector projects, and we are working with the Minister for Environment to see how we can support the use of recycled
rubber and concrete in particular in many of our projects across the state.
(1)–(2) Of
course, we are spending a record amount on infrastructure throughout the state—a
record program of transport infrastructure.
But we also are coupling that with a record amount of recycling of materials
across the state. A lot of the new roads that people are driving on and the
new rail lines that they will be travelling on
include a lot of recycled material. Over the past three years, Main Roads has
used over 4.6 million tonnes of recycled or re-used material across the
state. This includes crushed recycled concrete produced from concrete and
demolition waste. In fact—I like this story because it demonstrates
exactly what can be done with recycled
material—about 98 per cent of the concrete from the two-tier and
three-tier football stands a t Subiaco Oval and the old hospital was
re-used in the Kwinana Freeway base, which is incredible. If we think about it,
when travelling along that road, we are travelling on the area that we used to
sit in while watching our favourite team play on the weekends. It is
incredible.
Dr A.D. Buti : South Fremantle
winning the grand final.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI :
If South Fremantle win the grand final. The Dockers are doing well.
It also helps produce a better
outcome. For the Morley–Ellenbrook line, we are set to use over 21 000
tonnes of crushed recycled concrete in our busways, roads and car parks.
Recycled plastic is being used in noise walls for the Thornlie–Cockburn
Link and the Byford rail extension. In particular, we believe that using
recycled plastic in noise walls has a huge future. We are testing and trialling
that because we believe that re-using that type of material for noise walls will be very effective in using
some of our unused or recycled plastic. We also re-used crushed glass in
some of the areas adjacent to our rail lines. Main Roads has also supported the
establishment of three recycling factories
for crushed rubber. Crushed rubber is being used by local governments and, of
course, the state government in all of its infrastructure program. We
see this as having massive potential to continue to reduce waste, not only for government projects, but also for all private
sector projects, and we are working with the Minister for Environment to see how we can support the use of recycled
rubber and concrete in particular in many of our projects across the state.
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