Sustainability Victoria’s campaign, which includes a business case outlining the viability and cost competitiveness of recycled materials compared to virgin quarry materials, largely relates to concerns that Victoria will begin to experience the challenges currently being faced in New South Wales.
“Reports of quarry material price increases of up to 70 per cent in NSW, due to shortages of quarry material near Sydney, have sparked concern that the Victorian market could face similar increases,” the business case states.
“In Victoria, viable locations for future quarries are becoming increasingly constrained as regional development moves into areas of known virgin resources. Continued demand for pavement materials will inevitably exhaust the supply for existing quarries, forcing the supply of Victorian quarry resources to move further away from demand – much like the circumstances in NSW where the increased cost of haulage greatly impacted prices for virgin materials.”
It is believed that the current quarry products volume servicing the Greater Melbourne region is approximately 18 million tonnes per annum, while – depending on available raw feed – the recycled concrete volume is approximately 2.5 to 3 million tonnes per annum.
Ellerslie Consulting director Chris Cox has been employed in the quarry industry for over 50 years – 14 of which were spent working in the recycled concrete industry – and now operates his own consultancy business servicing both industries, providing him with unique insight into the matter.
He agreed with Sustainability Victoria’s argument, stating, “Recycled materials in pavement construction will give a greater life to the existing permitted quarry deposits, and recycled products can be used in low traffic housing subdivisions, preserving the higher quality product for high traffic roads and freeways.
“Extending the life of existing quarries servicing the Melbourne market reduces transport costs and minimises increases in truck transport numbers on the roads if quarries are forced to establish out of the Melbourne market and transport products into suburbia,” Cox added.
Long-term benefits
The business case listed a number of long-term benefits for councils to use recycled materials, including reduced impact on the environment through more efficient use of natural resources, reduced waste to landfill, some alleviation of conflict over use of land in regional growth planning, as well as the fact that recycled aggregate is less energy intensive to produce than virgin quarry materials.
Sustainability Victoria recommended councils with a local supply of recycled materials should aim to use at least 20 per cent of it across all their pavement projects, which Cox pointed out could spell opportunity for quarry operators.
“Recycled crushed concrete can be blended with lower quality quarry products to upgrade the quarry material to higher specification products,” he explained. “Upgrading lower grade quarry products is a form of recycling, as these products may not be suitable for pavement materials in their original state.”
The business case also recommended councils develop a better understanding of their current use and potential use of recycled materials, as well as the barriers to its uptake in their pavement construction and maintenance programs. It also recommended they meet with local recycled material suppliers to discuss their needs.
Cox was able to attest to the success of quarry operators partnering with recycled materials producers to benefit the community, citing the Boral/Delta Group recycling joint venture as an example.
“Delta being the largest demolition company in Australia has been able to redirect waste concrete back into civil projects, rather than the cost of filling up all the landfill sites around Melbourne and Sydney, which is a win-win for the community and the industry,” he said.
“The recent Deer Park Bypass was redesigned to blend crushed brick with low grade quarry products (scalps) to produce the lower subgrade layer material and produce a more economical pavement construction using virtual quarry waste material,” he added.
More information on Sustainability Victoria’s campaign and its business case can be found at www.sustainability.vic.gov.au