Embracing the Circular Economy in Hume

Published on 30 August 2021

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Hume City Council is laying the road to a more sustainable city with a continued partnership with Downer, Close the Loop and RED Group.

Back in 2018, we set a new benchmark in sustainability and innovation by constructing of Australia’s first road using a combination of soft plastics and glass.

The product, called Reconophalt, uses soft plastics and glass in asphalt for road construction to create a sustainable, cost-effective solution that has improved performance and longevity of more than 100 roads in Hume City.

These plastic and glass products would have otherwise ended up in landfill, stockpiled, or as a pollutant in our natural environments.

Reusing these materials in road construction proves that with Council’s leadership in sustainability and partnership with Downer Group, we can set new standards in repurposing and recycling waste materials.

Every 1km of road uses approximately:

  • 530,000 plastic bag and packaging equivalents
  • 168,000 glass bottle equivalents
  • Toners from 12,500 used printer cartridges
  • 134 tonnes of reclaimed road (asphalt) re-used, with the inclusion of 20 per cent Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP).

Since 2018, Hume City Council has surfaced 111 roads across Hume using 23,744 tonnes of Reconophalt. This saved 126 tonnes of carbon dioxide, which is the equivalent to 52 cars off the road for one year and diverted 21,000 plastic bags, 617 printer cartridges and 5,229 tonnes of recycled asphalt from landfill.