ecologiQ resources
Recycled materials reference guides
The reference guides for recycled materials are part of a strategic government commitment to support greater use of recycled materials in construction. Each guide is intended for use by designers, contractors, asset owners and others working on major road infrastructure projects during the planning, pre-tender and construction stages.
The quick–reference guides demonstrate the possibilities for using recycled materials in line with current design and construction standards.
Information in the guides has been drawn from road and rail transport operators as at the time of publishing and should be read in conjunction with the most up to date referenced standards, codes of practice and technical notes. Referral must always be made to standards, specifications and contract documents.
Recycled materials in road infrastructure
The guide provides a short summary of current Department of Transport (DoT) (formerly VicRoads) and Australian standards, specifications and clauses that allow the use of recycled materials in pavement design and other road infrastructure applications.
Recycled materials in rail infrastructure
The guide provides a summary of current industry standards, specifications and documents from Rail Transport Operators (RTOs) in Victoria, the Department of Transport (DoT, formerly Public Transport Victoria) and Australian standards that support the use of recycled materials in rail infrastructure.
RTOs that form the basis of this guide include: Victorian Rail Track Corporation (VicTrack), Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM), V/Line, Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), Yarra Trams.
Recycled materials in ancillary infrastructure
The guide provides a summary of current industry standards, specifications and documents from the Department of Transport (DoT), Rail Transport Operators (RTOs) in Victoria and Australian standards that support the use of recycled materials in ancillary transport infrastructure.
Ancillary infrastructure applications are those considered non-service or non-safety critical in the context of rail and road infrastructure.
Product and material trials for recycled material use
The purpose of a full-scale trial is to gather technical information and evidence to validate supply quality, construction processes and in-service performance of materials and products.
This guide provides an overview of a typical in-service trial process. It can be used to assess the use of recycled materials in construction and to assess the use of products manufactured from recycled materials.
Draft technical specifications for recycled materials
MTIA and the Department of Transport are working with our industry partners to develop new technical specifications for recycled materials.The draft technical specifications are written in the Austroads format to enable them to be used across Australia. The draft technical specifications are making their way through various reviews and approvals, however in their current format they offer project teams guidance on application of the relevant recycled material.