Association News

The Construction Materials Recycling Association (CMRA) has introduced a best practices guide for the recycling of tear-off asphalt shingles. The association planned to present the guide at the Shingle Recycling Forum.

The forum is the third such event organized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Highway Administration and the CMRA. Reflecting the growing interest in use of recycled asphalt shingles, the event’s organizers sought to present the latest research and foster discussion of the issues facing shingle recycling.

The forum was held Nov. 1-2 in Chicago. More information is available at www.shinglerecycling.org.  

The CMRA has also initiated a study examining the relationship between pH levels and the use of recycled concrete in road applications. "Some DOTs have questions about that, and the un-hydrated cement in the recycled aggregates may be the culprit," says CMRA Executive Director William Turley. "We are checking if this is valid and then will develop guidelines to overcome the problem. This is not a major problem—we just want to see what the concerns are."

The project is expected to be finished next year.

CMRA Lines Up 2008 Speakers

The Construction Materials Recycling Association (CMRA) has announced the programming scheduled for its 2008 Annual Meeting, which will take place in conjunction with the ConExpo-Con/Agg show.

The CMRA will offer the following programming on Wednesday, March 12, 2008, at the Treasure Island Resort in Las Vegas:

· 7:30 – 8:30 a.m.: Breakfast

· 8:30 – 9:15 a.m.: "Recycling in the Highway Environment," featuring Peter Stephanos of the Federal Highway Administration

· 9:15 – 10 a.m.: "Life Cycle Assessment of C&D-derived Biomass and Wood Waste Management," featuring Dr. Jenna Jambeck of the University of New Hampshire

· 10:15 – 10:45 a.m.: "EPA’s Disaster Debris Recovery Network," featuring Paul Ruesch of the U.S. EPA

· 10:45 – 11 a.m.: Remarks from CMRA Executive Director William Turley

· 11 – 11:45 a.m.: CMRA Annual Meeting

· 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.: CMRA Reception.

CMRA members and others who register for the Annual Meeting will receive free access to the entire ConExpo-Con/Agg exhibit area, according to the CMRA. The cost is $200.

Those seeking more information on how to register can contact the CMRA at info@cdrecycling.org or at its Illinois office at (630) 585-7530.

AEM and OSHA Partner to Enhance Job Site Safety

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have formed an alliance to provide construction workers and equipment owners and operators with information, guidance and access to training resources in an effort to help foster a safer working environment.

A special alliance signing ceremony was held in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 1, with OSHA represented by Edwin G. Foulke Jr., assistant secretary of labor for OSHA and AEM represented by AEM President Dennis Slater.

The new alliance will target rough terrain forklifts, including telehandlers and straight-mast forklifts, with a focus on potential operating hazards, including ground conditions, machine mobility, overloading and their use in lifting personnel.

Materials developed as a result of the alliance will be made available in multiple languages, including Spanish.

The alliance will also call for wider dissemination of pictorials such as those in AEM’s online database of industry recognized pictorial illustrations—http://pictorials.aem.org. This database is free for voluntary use by members and others involved in the design of equipment safety signs, manuals and other training programs. The database is currently being updated to expand the number and type of pictorials offered.

More information is available at www.aem.org.

Association Seeks to Dispel Demo Myths

The National Demolition Association, Doylestown, Pa., has released a new brochure that attempts to answer questions and dispel myths about the demolition industry.

Demolition professionals are often faced with misconceptions about the work they do, according to the association. The brochure attempts to address questions contractors face from "Do demolition contractors primarily implode or ‘blow up’ buildings?" to "Do they recycle materials or deliver everything to landfills?"

The full color, 16-page brochure "10 Common Misconceptions About the Demolition Industry," addresses other misconceptions, including:

• Demolition specialists destroy many structures that should be saved.

• Contractors overcrowd landfills.

• Demolition is a dangerous business.

• Demolition is simply a matter of knocking down buildings.

The list of misunderstandings was compiled from a survey of professionals in the industry who encounter a frustrating lack of knowledge about their industry on the part of the public, and even some government regulators.

More information can be found at the association’s Web site at www.demolitionassociation.com.