Lake Macquarie City Council explores sustainable concrete materials

Lead Organisation

Lake Macquarie City Council

Case Study Background

The footpath project is part of Lake Macquarie City Council's asset management program as part of a commitment to exploring new and innovative ways to create a more liveable, sustainable and environmentally friendly City. The Australian-made materials used in this project, close the loop on recycling and provides a practical end use for glass and plastic collected from kerbside recycling bins.

The Vision

Lake Macquarie City Council built a footpath using Greencrete made of 50% crushed glass sand and 100% recycled plastic to replace the steel mesh usually used in concrete. This reduced the requirement for virgin materials by one-third and was the first time this material had been used in a footpath. Council now uses printer toner cartridges in civil works as well, through the use of Reconophalt.

Benefits and Results

Greencrete has a high performance with a much lower carbon footprint than conventional concrete. Industry knowledge also indicates that Greencrete can be crushed and reused for future road construction.

Similarly, Reconophalt lasts longer and is less prone to deformation than traditional forms of asphalt. Due to its resistance, Reconophalt’s whole of life costs are significantly less compared to standard asphalt applied in the same application.