Highlighting ACCIONA’S sustainability achievements during National Recycling Week 

National Recycling Week is a great time to reflect on the steps taken throughout the year across ACCIONA Australia’s project sites to reduce, reuse and recycle, lessening its environmental footprint.  

Across the country, projects are using industry-leading circularity outcomes, with the M80 Ring Road in Melbourne, Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (CWOREZ) in NSW, and Armadale Line Upgrade Alliance in Perth, all demonstrating great examples of how recycling have a significant impact.  

M80 Ring Road Completion 

The M80 Ring Road project is setting a new benchmark for circularity in infrastructure, achieving 61% recycled content across temporary and permanent works, and 99% recycled content in the main compound.

These outcomes are driven by a suite of initiatives, including the use of recycled plastic pipes and hoardings, crushed concrete, replacing Portland cement with supplementary cementitious materials, and using ultra-low warm mix asphalt containing 50% recycled content.

The team is also participating in a research trial to substitute excavated site materials for cement and aggregates in project concrete – an innovative step towards decarbonising concrete with excavated site materials. 

Central West Orana 

The Central-West Orana project is working with circularity specialists COREO to develop a tailored Materials Circulation Plan.

This plan identifies circular pathways for priority materials and provides strategic guidance to reduce waste generation throughout the project lifecycle.

The team has also launched a Supplier Packaging Leadership Challenge, encouraging suppliers to implement take-back schemes, reduce packaging volume without compromising product integrity, adopt innovative packaging solutions, and increase recycled content in packaging materials. 

Armadale Line Upgrade  

In a world-first application, the ALUA project in Western Australia has repurposed a by-product of lithium refining – Delithiated Beta Spodumene (DBS) – as construction fill. DBS, typically destined for landfill, is produced during the processing of spodumene concentrate.

Australia holds the largest lithium ore reserves globally and leads spodumene production. Following geotechnical testing, the team confirmed DBS’s suitability and successfully used it as a subbase layer beneath pavement.

This is a standout example of circularity in action by repurposing existing resources and reducing reliance on virgin materials. 

Chris Bourne, Head of Sustainability, emphasised the importance of collective industry actions.  

“Infrastructure delivery presents a significant opportunity to work with clients and supply chain partners to drive circular outcomes within our industry.  

It’s exciting to see several of our projects moving beyond simply managing our waste streams to focusing on sustainable procurement of product and materials and leveraging R&D and innovation to challenge the status quo and drive sustainable change.  

National Recycling Week is a powerful reminder of the role each of us plays in a sustainable future and an opportunity to reflect on how the industry has evolved in recent years,” Mr Bourne said.

These initiatives reflect ACCIONA’s long-term commitment to sustainability and responsible resource management. By embedding circular economy principles into its operations, ACCIONA continues to lead by example in building infrastructure that supports both people and the planet.