Brisbane Concrete Plant Diverts 4.6 Tonnes of Waste from Landfill
Eagle Farm site leads the way in waste reduction—reinforcing Holcim’s commitment to sustainability and circular construction
As part of the Holcim’s Health, Safety, and Environmental Improvement Plan (HSE-IP), Holcim Australia undertook three projects aimed at significantly reducing environmental impact across selected sites. The Brisbane City concrete plant in the suburb of Eagle Farm was chosen for the zero-waste disposal initiative, aiming to ensure that no waste generated on-site was sent to landfill.
An internal audit identified timber, particularly from pine pallets used for product deliveries, as a significant contributor to landfill waste. To address this, the plant collaborated with a nearby recycling facility—already partnered with Holcim for concrete washout recycling—to process the accumulated timber pallets.
The plant also sustained its existing practices, such as sending returned concrete to Holcim’s Petrie Quarry on Brisbane’s northside for repurposing into recycled aggregate, and utilising on-site cardboard recycling bins.
To monitor progress, a waste register was implemented. Between September and November 2024, these efforts successfully diverted 4.6 tonnes of waste from landfill, primarily through timber and cardboard recycling.
Anthony Spittle, Regional Operations Manager for Queensland, remarked, "The pilot program highlighted simple opportunities for waste mitigation, in addition to the recycling of unused concrete and washout waste into high-quality aggregates."
“It’s a timely reminder that we have plenty of opportunities when it comes to reducing waste and working towards our net zero commitment.”
Around 20% of Australia’s sawn softwood production is used in palette manufacturing².
Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA)1 reports that over 1.3 million tonnes of wood waste is generated annually in Australia, with pallets contributing a significant portion. Recycling extends material life cycles and carbon sequestration, and achieves significant carbon savings.
The Eagle Farm initiative aligns with Holcim's global commitment to advancing a circular economy, which focuses on reducing, recycling, and regenerating materials to minimise waste and resource consumption. Redirecting materials from landfill has significant environmental benefits: conserving natural resources, saving energy and consumption of virgin timber, preventing pollution and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, preserving natural habitats, and protecting biodiversity.
By implementing local projects that emphasise waste reduction and recycling—and through products including ECOPact low-carbon concrete—Holcim Australia contributes to the company's overarching goal of building more with less and helping to preserve our ecosystems.
Holcim’s Health, Safety, and Environmental Improvement Plan (HSE-IP) includes focused reviews on eliminating emissions resulting from electricity consumption on site, ensuring no water pollution incidents occur on-site, and ensuring no waste generated on-site is sent to landfill.
- Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA) - Reports
- Industry Edge report - Timber packaging
About Holcim
Holcim is a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions. Driven by our purpose to build progress for people and the planet, our 60,000 employees are on a mission to decarbonise building, enabling greener cities, smarter infrastructure and improving living standards around the world. With sustainability at the core of its strategy Holcim is becoming a net zero company, with its people and communities at the heart of its success.
Holcim Australia is a leading supplier of aggregates, ready-mix concrete, and engineered concrete solutions and precast concrete pipes. Our proud history began in Australia in 1901.
