We support the principle of the circular economy to maximise the useful life of products and materials.
As a fundamental practice, we deliver projects using resources efficiently, recycling, reusing, and taking a lifecycle approach to waste management. This includes reducing waste through smarter design and procurement.
In 2022, the Group generated a total of 5.2 million tonnes of waste, of which more than 94% was diverted - mainly for reuse - and ~5.9% (versus 2.8% in FY21) was disposed of in a landfill.
The major contributor to growth in waste over recent years has been the amount of spoil, or waste earth and rock, that needed to be disposed of due to an increase in tunnelling activity for major road and rail projects. This spoil has largely been diverted to, or reused on, other commercial and residential developments where it can be reused as fill material.
The Group has a target to recycle or reuse more than 75% of its waste and has exceeded this performance target over the past three years. Ideally, we seek to minimise the disposal of any waste to landfill or other destinations, however this outcome is driven by the type of waste generated on the projects that are undertaken.
Some tunnelling projects generate contaminated or hazardous waste because of the nature of pre-existing soil conditions and the treatment of these materials is prescribed by the relevant Government agencies.
The M80 Upgrade - Sydney Road to Edgars Road is the first Australian freeway to use road surfacing material, Reconophalt, which contains content derived from soft plastics, glass and toner that would otherwise be sent to landfills or stockpiled.
Sedgman is partnering with enviroMETS Qld to find innovative and sustainable repurposing, re-commercialising, and remediation solutions to mining-impacted land.
CIMIC Group’s EIC Activities is collaborating with the University of Technology Sydney's Nutrients in a Circular Economy (NiCE) Hub, in conjunction with the Australian Research Council and other industry partners.