ecologiQ is nurturing the use of sustainable materials in some of Victoria’s largest ever infrastructure projects. MRPV’s Director, Program Services and Engineering – Alexis Davison, provides a preview of the upcoming Greener Infrastructure Conference.
According to the State Government, Victoria is on track to generate 40 per cent more waste annually than it has in recent years.
With the infrastructure sector also contributing up to 70 per cent of emissions throughout planning and construction (Infrastructure Sustainability Council), the Victorian Government sought to establish a future for recycled products.
As a result, ecologiQ was launched as part of Victoria’s Big Build in 2019, by current Major Road Projects Victoria’s CEO, Allen Garner.
As Major Road Projects Victoria Director, Program Services and Engineer – Alexis Davison explains, the initiative was established to drive the demand and supply of sustainable materials for the infrastructure sector.
“It’s an initiative that is geared to encouraging increased use of recycled material in infrastructure projects. With the [2020] export bans on certain waste materials, excess waste, landfill issues and resource constraints, there’s a big opportunity here to make a difference,” she says.
“We really wanted to look at ‘what can we use? And why aren’t we using it?’, whether it be plastic, paper, tyres or glass. There’s a variety of waste streams that – if we can assign value to – can provide environmental, economic and social benefits.”
Along with contributing to Victoria’s circular economy and encouraging further innovation in transport infrastructure construction, ecologiQ is aiming for Victoria to be recognised as the global leader in recycled and reused material use by 2025.
As part of this vision, ecologiQ developed the Victorian Government’s Recycled First Policy, requiring contractors to optimise the use of sustainable materials when delivering transport projects across the state.
“One of the first things we did was write that policy. The Recycled First Policy is connected to where we see our role in the circular economy as creating demand and assigning value to materials,” Davison says.
The Big Build
ecologiQ is also pushing industry to optimise the use of sustainable products as part of the State Government’s $90 billion Big Build.
As part of the program, and in a world first, noise walls along the Mordialloc Freeway were constructed from 75 per cent recycled plastic, accumulated from kerbside collections.
By using recycled products, construction of the noise walls helped to divert more than 570 tonnes of plastic waste from landfill. The amount of plastic waste was also the equivalent of products collected from 25,000 homes across the state in one year.
“That noise wall also set a precedent for Australian specifications, which we wrote as a result of that project,” Davison says.
Further innovation is also being trialled as part of the State Government’s rail infrastructure works.
“We’re working hard to signal to the market that we have a growing demand for recycled products. If you’re trying to develop an innovative product, you need to know that your research and development investment is going to be worth it. We have a really critical role to signal that we’re serious and that we are open to explore any product that people pitch to us,” Davison says.
“We’re currently supporting the Monash Rail Institute. They’re working on a plastic railway sleeper. Currently, there’s a product that’s approved for use in very low speed environments. But what we want is a plastic sleeper that can be used on the high-speed lines, which could present an opportunity to recycle millions of tonnes of plastic. We want to keep doing trials and implementing these products as part of the Recycled First Policy.”
ecologiq’s Greener Infrastructure Conference
ecologiQ’s progress in supporting a circular economy will be on show this year, during its two-day conference this 6-7 September.
The conference will feature speakers from industry and government, as well as opportunities for networking.
Davison says the event will present an “excellent” opportunity for organisations to increase their sustainability awareness.
“We’re holding this conference to accelerate change. We want to share what’s going on around the country. We want to share innovations, we want to celebrate best practice and we want to hear from people who have inspired significant change,” she says. “It’s really to showcase what Victoria is doing, and the impact that procurement policies and the Recycled First Policy are having – on the growth of the circular economy in the infrastructure sector.”
“I think it’ll be a valuable opportunity for people to connect with their peers and potential partners. We’re hoping that people will make connections, particularly our contractors in the supply chain. I think it’s going to be important for the attendees to deepen their understanding of the circular economy principles.”
The event will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, with registrations still open for the conference. Businesses also have the chance to sponsor, with the conference presenting a variety of partnership opportunities.
“It will connect relevant partners in the industry, such as suppliers, with government contractors. There are many innovative ideas throughout the industry, now we
need to focus on making these concepts a reality,” Davison says.
For more information, visit: www.ecologiq.vic.gov.au
This article was originally published in the August edition of our magazine. To read the magazine, click here.
Related stories:
- Melbourne’s new Mordialloc Freeway now open
- Recycled waste used for rail construction
- Ecologiq develops map of Victorian suppliers of recycled and reused materials