$8m Recycling Initiative Approved By Lake Macquarie Council

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE AND JARROD MELMETH

Lake Macquarie City Council has approved an $8 million asphalt plant at Teralba which will turn soft plastics and other recycled material into local roads.

Assets and infrastructure giant Downer Group are expected to begin work this month to replace its Rhondda Road facility with a new plant capable of incorporating recycled materials into the asphalt it produces.

Having been successfully trialled in Victoria and Sydney, it will be one of the first places in New South Wales to produce the sustainable asphalt, using materials that would once be considered waste.

Council's Sustainability Manager, Alice Howe, said materials produced at the plant would be used in Lake Macquarie and neighbouring local government areas.

"This is fantastic to see local businesses are really taking on the opportunity to reuse waste materials for beneficial applications. We are really proud to see this type of development in our region," Dr Howe said.

The approved development is one of many council recycling initiatives. Earlier this year council started using recycled glass sand in civil works projects, closing the loop on thousands of tonnes glass waste placed in the household bins each year. In July council also introduced a revamped three-bin service, where all food waste is placed in the green bin and converted into compost.

Existing Teralba Asphalt Plant.

The power of the sun

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Lake Macquarie City Council is reaping the rewards of solar panels, using the power of the sun to reduce their carbon emissions and save thousands of dollars.

The council has installed a further 241 solar panels at its Works Depot adding to the panels already installed across major council buildings capable of generating 550kW.

Solar panels have been installed at council's administration building which generates 176kW of power, and also at the Speers Point Swim Centre, the art gallery, Charlestown and Belmont Libraries, the Rural Fire Service Headquarters and other buildings throughout the local government area.

So far the panels have reduced council's carbon emission by a massive 856 tonnes - the equivalent of taking 200 cars off the road - and saved $156,000 annually.

"We estimate that those installations are reducing our electricity bills by around about $156,000 dollars every year so that translates directly into savings on the cost of council services for ratepayers," said Manager of Sustainability Alice Howe.

Council isn't stopping there, they aim to make the city a solar powerhouse in the Lower Hunter, and already have 14 per cent of homes having solar panels installed on rooftops throughout the city.