PENNSYLVANIA BOROUGH SEEKS ZONING CHANGE
The borough of State College, Pa., is seeking a zoning change to permit the recycling of concrete and asphalt at the former site of the borough dump, according to a report in the Centre Daily (State College, Pa.).
Patton Township plans to create a new zoning designation, a "natural resource and recycling district," to accommodate the request, according to the report. Public hearings on the new district and proposed zoning change have been scheduled.
The borough currently uses seven acres of the former dumpsite for composting and wood recycling.
Asphalt and concrete from street and sidewalk projects is currently stored at the site, but is not recycled. Under the proposed plan, the material would be recycled and used for backfilling sewer lines and on some road shoulders.
CMRA BACKS ADC DEMONSTRATION PROJECT
The Construction Materials Recycling Association (CMRA) is supporting a proposal to perform a hydrogen sulfide gas demonstration project in New England.
The project, which was designed by Green Seal Environmental, Sandwich, Mass., manager of the CMRA’s New England Chapter, will look at C&D fines used as alternate daily cover (ADC) at active landfills and as shaping and grading material in landfill closure projects.
An ongoing issue with fines stems from the hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas that is produced when sulfate-containing materials decompose.
The purpose of proposal is to detail a demonstration\pilot project that will study and attempt to address the H2S issue. The main intent is to prove that this type of ADC can be used if proper controls, procedures and best management practices are used uniformly.
WRECKING CORP. LANDS D.C. DEMO CONTRACT
Wrecking Corp. of America (WCA), Alexandria, Va., has been awarded a contract for the demolition of a six-level garage, building excavation and site preparation for a new commercial building in Washington, D.C.
The site is adjacent to the existing 51 Louisiana Ave. office building and down the street from the U.S. Capitol. The general contractor is the Maryland-based Clark Construction Group.
WCA will demolish the six-story, 170,000-square-foot garage, which is constructed of reinforced concrete. The company will remove approximately 11,000 cubic yards of concrete and rebar from the site for processing and recycling. WCA will then excavate for a 10-story building and underground garage, trucking approximately 80,000 cubic yards of dirt and debris from the site to prepare for the new foundation work.
Demolition and excavation were scheduled to begin in June. An early 2007 completion is expected.
More information is available at www.wreckingcorp.com.
RECYCLER PULLS APPLICATION IN NEW JERSEY
Red Bank Recycling, Red Bank, N.J., has withdrawn its application to build a transfer station following mounting pressure from public officials and residents, according to a report in the Hub (Red Bank, N.J.).
The company had applied to build a transfer station that would have handled about 600 tons of construction and demolition debris per day, according to the report. The application was under consideration by the Monmouth County Solid Waste Advisory Council (SWAC).
The company’s attorney says there are currently no plans to seek federal approval for the facility, according to the report.
The proposed transfer station met opposition from residents and public officials. In May, the Borough Council denied Red Bank Recycling’s request for a zoning change in addition to approving a resolution officially opposing the plan.
ASPHALT PRICES ON THE RISE
The impact of high oil prices is being felt beyond the pump in Ohio.
The rising cost of asphalt because of high oil prices has put the brakes on many paving projects, according to a report in Cleveland’s Plain Dealer.
In the past year, the cost of liquid asphalt has risen from an estimated $190 to $270 per ton nationwide, according to the report, causing even the biggest asphalt customers to delay paving projects.
With gasoline prices around $3 per gallon, the cost of transporting asphalt has also had a negative effect on paving jobs.
In response to the price increase, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is re-evaluating its $1.4 billion construction budget, according to the paper. At this time, full cancellations of projects are not expected, however, a spokesman from ODOT tells the Plain Dealer that some projects could be delayed.
CALIFORNIA MANDATES RECYCLED CARPET USAGE FOR STATE BUILDINGS
Starting Sept. 1, 2006, any carpet purchased by any California state government office must contain at least 10 percent recycled materials. The recycled portion can come either from old carpets or other materials that would normally be headed for landfills.
The California Gold Sustainable Carpet Standard was established by a task force charged with implementing portions of the state’s Environmentally Preferable Purchasing law. In addition to recycling requirements, the new standard also calls for compliance with strict California guidelines for protecting the health of building occupants by reducing the amount of volatile organic compounds escaping indoors from new carpeting.
"This new state initiative is an excellent beginning in a long-neglected area of recycling," says Ron Joseph, director of the California Department of General Services.
California purchases an estimated 12 million square feet of new carpeting per year.
"With this new initiative, we’re hoping to leverage the state’s huge purchasing power to encourage competition among manufacturers to develop even better recycling techniques," Joseph says.
Detailed information on the new California Gold Sustainable Carpet Standard can be found online at www.green.ca.gov\EPP\standards.
SAN FRANCISCO C&D RECYCLING LAW TAKES EFFECT
A city ordinance that requires construction and demolition debris recycling has gone into effect in San Francisco, according to a report from CBS5 in San Francisco.
The Construction and Demolition Debris Recovery Ordinance was introduced by Mayor Gavin Newsom and approved in February. It took effect July 1 and requires all contractors in the city to send their C&D debris to a certified facility for recycling.
The new regulations have already brought an influx of material to area recyclers. Workers at the construction materials recycling facility owned and operated by Norcal Waste Systems sorted approximately 400 tons of construction debris on July 4, recovering between 65 and 70 percent for recycling, according to a press release from Norcal.
Robert Reed, director of corporate communications for Norcal, adds that an unusually wet spring has delayed many construction projects, making summer a particularly busy construction season in the San Francisco area as contractors try to catch up.
City supervisors hope the ordinance will increase the amount of C&D debris recycled by 8 percent, according to the report.
C&D debris accounts for more than 100,000 tons of material in city landfills per year.
Explore the August 2006 Issue
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