Sixteen NSW councils have joined together in what they’re calling a game-changing partnership and the largest local government led procurement of its kind in the state’s history.

The Paving the Way program, an initiative of the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC), will use kerbside glass waste instead of sand in local roads and footpaths.

In a joint statement, three of the member councils – Georges River, Bayside and Sutherland Shire – say as well as boosting local recycling the initiative will increase road-making transport efficiency by eliminating the need to transport sand from quarries, saving 414 tonnes of carbon emissions a year in their LGAs alone.

They estimate that 4,000 tonnes of crushed glass, or some 18.5 million bottles from yellow bins, will end up in local roads each year.

It will also stimulate end-markets for recycled glass and boost the development of recycling infrastructure in the region, they say.

Forays into recycled roads

Other participating councils include Burwood, Canada Bay, Canterbury-Bankstown, City of Sydney, Hornsby, Inner West, Lane Cove, Northern Beaches, Randwick, Ryde, Waverley, Willoughby and Woollahra.

Some of the councils have already made forays into the use of recycled glass in local roads.

Mayor Joe Awada says Bayside was one of the first councils in Australia to trial the use of recycled glass, plastic bags and toner cartridges in the construction of a 400 tonne dual road carriageway at a council depot.

Since that trial, Bayside has commited to using recycled material in all road sheeting programs, and has renewed 36 local roads using 4,455 tonnes of recycled asphalt and 570 tonnes of crushed recycled glass.

“I am proud that this joint Paving the Way initiative will expand upon the great results achieved by such innovative trials,” Cr Awada said.

Sutherland Shire, Randwick and Northern Beaches councils have also trialled sustainable road construction.

A report released by the Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR) last year found that using recycled materials in roads is both cost effective and beneficial for the environment.