SWA identifies specific opportunities
for using recycled materials in
major transport infrastructure projects
in Western Australia. 

Our SWA Goals:

Optimising Outcomes

SWA aims to optimise the use of recycled materials to achieve best practice in resource recovery and waste recycling on road and rail projects

Waste Diversion

SWA seeks opportunities for an enduring legacy of waste diversion, recovery and recycling toward achieving a circular waste economy for the State ​

Recycling Uptake

SWA aims to achieve best practice in resource recovery and recycling of infrastructure generated waste​

Technical Expertise

The SWA Innovation Hub provides ​access to considerable knowledge, experience and technical expertise for the best project outcomes 

Job Creation

SWA acts to ​promote regional and Aboriginal business and employment opportunities

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The "Towards 100"

Philosophy

The Recycle First approach presents a new way to road and rail construction. It requires us to look at all parts of the engineering value chain very differently because of the starting assumption that everything in the project should be reused or recycled. Using this ​"Towards100" approach leads to a paradigm shift in thinking. Instead of justifying increasing the amount of recycled content in a project (considering price, availability and quality) we now have a starting point that 100% of materials will be reused or recycled and any departure from this stated objective will have to be justified. It flips everything on its head. It drives innovation and a move towards using more fit for purpose materials. It reveals new opportunities that have the potential of supporting the development of a strong waste recovery industry, regional economic development and the creation of jobs. An example of the "Towards100" approach to road construction is shown below.​

"Roads made of plastic, glass, rubber and crushed concrete will soon be business as usual, with our own Recycled First Policy dialling up the use of recycled and reused materials in civil construction pursuing intergenerational wellbeing."

Andonis Missikos, Chair of the
​Sustainability Waste Alliance