Industry News

Pasco Iron Brokers Kennedy Space Center Scrap
Pasco Iron & Metal, Land O Lakes, Fla., and its in-house brokerage company, Green Tree Recycling, say they have successfully brokered more than 4,000 gross tons of metal from the dismantling of Kennedy Space Center’s launch pad 39B, which helped to launch 53 space shuttle missions.

Pasco Iron & Metal and Green Tree Recycling have agreed to purchase the scrap metal from the dismantling task, which is being overseen by LVI Environmental Services Inc., New York. The material is being shipped directly from the job site in Cape Canaveral to melting facilities, according to Pasco.

“We’re very pleased to have played such a large role in this historic project,” says Matthew Goldman, Pasco Iron & Metal and Green Tree Recycling’s CEO. “Unlike other scrap metal processors, our in-house brokerage services allow us to work with slimmer margins and to be more on top of unfolding markets.”

The launch pad that was demolished was originally built for the Apollo program and was later modified to support space shuttle operations. Dismantling of the large structures began in September of 2010. NASA says the space created will help the agency accommodate and support new programs and operations.

AGC Names First Woman President
Kristine Young, CEO of Miller the Driller, based in Des Moines, Iowa, has been named president of the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). As the new president, Young becomes the first woman to head the AGC.

In accepting the position, Young says, “I’m humbled that this association has always treated me as a fellow contractor who happens to be a woman, instead of a woman who happens to be a contractor. Being the first is never about being alone. It took the time energy and encouragement of many people to get me here today.”

In her new position Young will oversee the association’s efforts to advocate for measures to boost demand for construction activity by enacting pro-growth tax and trade policies and making investments to the nation’s infrastructure. Young also will work to overturn a new measure that requires government agencies to withhold 3 percent of the value of large construction contracts beginning next year. The provision is intended to prevent tax evasion.

The AGC also named Joseph Jarboe, senior vice president of Clark Construction Group, Bethesda, Md.,as AGC’s senior VP; Paul Diederich, president of Industrial Builders Inc., West Fargo, N.D., became AGC’s VP; and Howard Pebley, president of McAllen Construction Inc., McAllen, Texas, is now treasurer.

TLA Pond View Expansion of C&D Recycling Facility Meets with Opposition
TLA Pond View, an East Providence, R.I., construction and demolition recycling company, is seeking to receive approval from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) to allow the facility to boost the amount of construction and demolition material it can process each day from 500 tons per day to 1,500 tons per day. The company first applied for the expansion in September 2009.

Opponents say that the facility has generated excessive noise, dust and odors for residents near the plant. Leading the charge against TLA Pond View has been State Senator Daniel Da Ponte (D-East Providence), who submitted a bill that aims to reduce the processing capability of the C&D operation.

The bill, (20011-S-0184), states that any debris processing facility, such as TLA/Pond View, within a 1,000-foot radius of a residential area cannot process more than 150 tons of material per day. TLA/Pond View currently processes 500 tons of material per day and is seeking to expand operations to 1,500 tons per day. The bill seeks to return TLA/Pond View to its previous workload of 150 tons of material per day.

“No one is looking to drive TLA out of business, but there are serious issues present, most notably a rising trend of respiratory problems within the neighborhood. in the area, all of the health and environmental problems within the surrounding area must be fixed,” says Senator Da Ponte regarding the bill.

According to local press reports, TLA Pondview vice president Jack Walsh says the DEM and city inspectors have visited the site regularly and the company has not received any violation notices.


Rhode Island DEM Awards C&D Debris Processing License to JR Vinagro
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) has issued solid waste management facility licenses to RI Resource Recovery Corp. (RIRRC) for the Phase VI expansion of its Central Landfill, and to JR Vinagro Corp. to open a construction and demolition debris processing facility and transfer station.

JR Vinagro Corp. submitted a license application for a new construction and demolition debris processing facility and transfer station at its Johnston, R.I., facility. The new facility will accept up to 2,000 tons per day of construction and demolition debris, in addition to up to 500 tons per day of commercial solid waste at the transfer station.

RIRRC applied for a solid waste landfill license to open and operate the 103-acre Phase VI of its central landfill in Johnston, R.I. Phases I through III of the landfill are closed, and Phases IV and V are nearing capacity. The Phase VI area is expected to provide 17.5 years of disposal capacity.

NDA Membership Grows in 2010
Membership in the National Demolition Association (NDA) grew in 2010 with the addition of 40 new member companies in the United States and Canada.

“The fact that we were able to attract so many new members in this current challenging economy is testament to how the industry perceives the value of membership in our association,” says Michael Taylor, NDA’s executive director.

The NDA expanded its membership qualifications scope beyond demolition contractors several years ago. Companies involved in the many facets of the demolition process, including C&D recycling, landfilling, facilities’ decontamination, disaster remediation, salvage, scrap, as well as general contractors and engineers, can now join NDA.

In addition to the 40 new member companies in 2010, the association added 20 new associate members.

Additional information on becoming a member of NDA is available at www.demolitionassociation.com, along with updates on NDA activities.

Pennsylvania DEP Fines Construction Company for Illegal Disposal
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has assessed a $30,000 fine against Moore Construction Co. for the illegal disposal of construction and demolition debris on property owned by family members of the company in Hemlock Township, Pa.

“DEP’s site inspection in August 2010 revealed that the company had illegally buried a significant quantity of construction and demolition waste,” says Nels Taber, Pennsylvania DEP’s North-central regional director.

The two properties where the debris was buried are owned by Ronald and Laura Moore and Shane and Kelly Moore. The Moores signed a consent order and agreement with DEP in November 2010 that required all the material be removed and properly disposed of within one week. A DEP inspection confirmed that nearly 200 tons of debris was removed. The department assessed a $30,000 civil penalty to the company for violations of the Pennsylvania Solid Waste Management Act.

Armstrong Helps Recycle More than 100 Million Square Feet of Ceiling Tiles

Armstrong World Industries, Lancaster, Pa, a manufacturer of acoustical ceilings, says that through its Ceiling Recycling Program it has diverted more than 100 million square feet of old ceiling tiles from landfills.

The recycling program, which the company says is the nation’s first that targets recycling ceiling tiles, allows building owners to ship ceilings from renovation projects to nearby Armstrong ceiling plants as an alternative to disposing of the material at landfills.

Since introducing the program in 1999, Armstrong has recycled more than 50,000 tons of discarded ceiling tiles.

More information on ceiling recycling can be found at Armstrong’s website at www.armstrong.com.

Veolia ES Earns LEED Certification for Georgia Building
Chicago-based Veolia ES Solid Waste has been awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for a new building at its Veolia Evergreen Landfill in Valdosta, Ga. This is the first LEED certified building constructed in Valdosta, Ga., according to the company.

“As part of our commitment to developing sustainable, environmentally friendly solutions for the city of Valdosta and Lowndes County, we intentionally pursued LEED certification standards in the development of our new building,” says AJ Rodgers, area manager for Veolia ES Solid Waste Southeast. “As a result, we expect to see lower operating costs, increased efficiencies and a healthier work environment for our employees.”

The Veolia building was designed to achieve LEED certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use. It also incorporated a variety of other sustainable strategies, according to Veolia. During construction, 75 percent of the waste and scrap generated was sent to a recycling facility for remanufacturing or re-use. Ten percent of the building materials used in the construction of the building contained recycled content.

The building earned additional points for being 28 percent more energy efficient than a similar non-LEED design building and for operating with 35 percent more water efficiency than a similar non-LEED design building. Additionally, 44 percent of all building materials were manufactured locally.

The building will be used as a scale house and as an on-site administrative office. Veolia says LEED certification is an important element in its sustainability strategy. The company’s North American headquarters office in downtown Chicago’s Aon Building was awarded Gold level LEED certification in June 2010.

AECOM and Tishman form New Business Line
As a part of an ongoing integration process between AECOM Technology Corp. and Tishman Construction Corp., AECOM’s president and CEO, John Dionisio, has announced the formation of a new AECOM Construction Services business line, which will be led by John Livingston, president of Tishman Construction Corp. Livingston has been with Tishman for more than 17 years and has overseen commercial projects in North America as well as Tishman’s expansion into the Middle East. Daniel Tishman continues as vice chairman of AECOM and chairman and CEO of Tishman Construction Corp.

“The formation of the Construction Services business line is an important part of AECOM’s strategy to meet our clients’ project needs, from conception through planning, architecture, engineering and construction, and ultimately delivery and commissioning,” says Dionisio. “We now offer a full suite of integrated delivery services in the form of design-build, public-private partnership and other turnkey arrangements.”

AECOM’s Construction Services business line will provide program management, cost-management consulting services, owner’s representation, construction management as agent and construction management at-risk services to public and private sector clients globally.

Current projects under contract by AECOM’s Construction Services division include serving as construction manager for 1 World Trade Center for the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, 3 and 4 World Trade Center for Silverstein Properties and 440 West 42nd Street for the Related Co., all in New York City; as construction manager for the new headquarters for the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, D.C.; as project manager for the Angsana Resort and Spa – Eastern Mangroves, in Abu Dhabi; and as program manager for Saadiyat Island Cultural District, Abu Dhabi.

“Our objective is to continue to grow in our core regions and expand in key markets by tailoring our services to client demands in both the public and private sectors,” says Livingston.

Shingle Recycling Making Strides at Oldcastle Companies
Atlanta-based Oldcastle Materials reports that two of its companies, Texas Bitulithic and APAC-Missouri, are recycling shingles at a rate well above the national average. Oldcastle Materials incorporates recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) and reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) into its mixes as part of its commitment to environmental responsibility.

In a press release issued by Oldcastle Materials, the company says information from the National Asphalt Pavement Association shows that 55 companies reported using a total of 335,000 tons of RAS in 2010, with an average of about 6,000 tons per company. Texas Bitulithic and APAC-Missouri each used 30,000 tons in 2010.

Texas Bitulithic collects manufactured shingle scrap from two manufacturers in two locations and recently began receiving shingles from a third manufacturer in a new location, the company says. Steve Koonce, Texas Bitulithic’s president, estimates the new location will add 10,000 tons per year to the mix.

APAC-Missouri currently collects tear-off shingles in two locations and plans to expand to at least one additional location within the next three months. “We have utilized approximately 30,000 tons of shingles in our mixes in each of the last two years,” says David Guillaume, company president.

Another Oldcastle company, APAC-Asheville in North Carolina recently began the process.

The visibility of the project is such that producers of “This New House,” a program airing on the DIY Network, will use recycled shingles to pave a home-owner’s driveway, according to Brad Caldwell, operations manager.

More information on the company and its asphalt shingle recycling can be found at www.oldcastlematerials.com

OSHA Cites Pallet Recycler for Violations
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Ifco Systems’ pallet recycling facility in Henderson, Colo., with one repeat and five serious citations for improper machine guarding. The fine followed an inspection conducted by OSHA. The federal agency is proposing a penalty of $67,765.

Ifco has more than 210 locations worldwide. The company has 15 days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with the OSHA area director or contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

In a news release, Herb Gibson, OSHA’s area director in Denver, says, “Machine guarding is at the heart of preventing amputation injuries. Many of these hazards could have been corrected if the employer had an effective safety and health management system, which would identify hazards in the workplace, and reduce the likelihood of injuries and illnesses.”

According to OSHA, the repeat citation, with a penalty of $50,000, was issued for failing to provide adequate machine guarding on a band saw.

A repeat citation is issued for companies that have been cited for the same or a similar violation at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years. Over the past five years OSHA has issued similar citations to Ifco Systems for violations at its facilities in Smithville, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio; and Atlanta.

The citations, with a penalty of $17,765, were issued for failing to develop and implement proper lockout procedures for energy sources; a lack of proper guarding for open-sided floors; a lack of machine guarding on a table saw; and exposing employees to excessive levels of noise.

A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known, says OSHA.