The global demand for re-used and recycled materials is forecast to drive ongoing innovation that will support the long-term growth of the waste industry. These feedstocks become the basis for industry innovations that result in higher-value products driving values. Examples include: • Colour-sorted rubble made from construction and demolition (C&D) waste makes an attractive, enduring and fire-retardant mulch for homeowners in fire prone regions. • Within the transport market there are higher value, lower volume applications for recycled glass. It already used to create decorative non- structural concrete and hardwearing coloured pavements and line marking materials. • E-waste in particular can be considered a resource for manufacturing. There are also likely to be synergies with new technology manufacturing and New Energy metals processing. The business and sustainability cases for regional sorting and recycling are particularly favourable for
Separating waste at the source directly supports material recovery by producing a more homogenous and higher value stream which is easier to recover.
food organics garden organics (FOGO), glass and C&D waste due to high volumes and cheap resale value once processes. In the case of glass and C&D waste (up to 80% of waste by mass) regional sorting and recycling is competitive as just 150km from large metropolitan area facilities, justifying investment in facilities as close to Perth as the Wheatbelt and the South West. Separating waste at the source directly supports material recovery by producing a more homogenous and higher value stream which is easier to recover. 23 The recycled products derived from mine manufacturing processes, FOGO, glass, C&D, and rubber and plastics yield a range of useful materials for incorporation into road projects when properly processed. WA’s Office of Major Transport Infrastructure Delivery is already working on meeting targets for recycling materials in projects. Other jurisdictions are also progressing trials to demonstrate the performance of recycled road products with a number of recycled products already mainstreamed. In some cases, new recycled product specifications are being developed to facilitate procurement and open new markets that will underpin investment by establishing demand certainty. There is an opportunity to accelerate this process by increasing the number of trials running in parallel through publishing clear guidelines and incentives for their inclusion in major project tenders, as well as performance assessment timeframes, benchmarks and processes for recycled materials product to be approved as a mainstream transport project material. Electronic waste is becoming increasingly valuable for the high-value, recyclable raw materials it contains. There may be an opportunity to establish a central facility in a regional strategic industry area proximate to Perth, particularly if it can be powered by renewable energy to capture cost efficiencies, generate carbon offsets and ensure that the finished materials meet the strict sustainability standards of global markets. WA is uniquely positioned to deliver these materials and realise competitive advantages as a raw materials economy in the process.
23 www.wasteauthority.wa.gov.au/images/resources/files/2019/11/Source_Separation_of_Waste_2014_-_Position_Statement.pdf
32 | WA Investment Prospectus
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator