Industry News

// Company News

New C&D Recycling Facility Opens in Jacksonville, Fla.

A new mixed C&D recycling facility has opened in Jacksonville, Fla. Coastal Recycling Services (CRS) is a full service, mixed C&D recycling facility located on more than 15 acres of land in the northeastern Jacksonville area. The new facility cost $11 million to construct, took three years to permit and build and is owned by Florida Limited Liability Corp. Charlie Latham and Bob Malouin will manage the new facility, which is equipped with custom-built recycling equipment, solar panels and an inbound and outbound scale.

CRS received a $3.8 million Small Business Development (SBD) loan to build the facility. Latham says the loan is the largest SBD loan in Florida history. Krause Manufacturing, Bellingham, Wash., built a custom C&D recycling system for CRS.

To read more about Coastal Recycling Services, see the cover story in the September/October issue of Construction & Demolition Recycling, "Going Coastal," also available at www.cdrecycler.com/cdr1011-coastal-recycling-services.aspx.

 

// Personnel Notes

Waste Management Appoints Former Oakleaf CEO

Waste Management Inc. (WM), Houston, has appointed Steven Preston to the position of executive vice president of finance, recycling & energy services, a new position. Preston previously was president and CEO of Oakleaf Global Holdings, which WM acquired in July.

According to WM, Preston will serve as the principal financial officer of the company and assume all the financial management responsibilities of the company's retiring CFO Robert Simpson. Preston also will have management oversight responsibility for the company's recycling, waste-to-energy and organic growth business lines.

"Steve has a wide range of experience that will immediately add value at Waste Management," says David Steiner, WM's president and CEO. "As the CEO of Oakleaf, he gained valuable customer insights in our industry, and shares our view that WM has a unique opportunity to provide value-added solutions to our customers for the benefit of our people and our shareholders."

Prior to joining Oakleaf, Preston served as Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from 2008-2009 and Administrator of the United States Small Business Administration (SBA).

 

// Company News

E.L. Harvey & Sons Celebrates 100 Years in Business

Westborough, Mass.-based E.L. Harvey & Sons recently celebrated its 100th anniversary. The waste hauling, transfer and scrap recycling operation credits its century of success to its customers, vendors and community members whose loyalties and trust made its success possible.

The company was founded in 1911 by Emory Larkin Harvey. It grew from a family farm business to become a large waste and recycling company. One hundred years and 43 acres later, three generations of Harveys invited their customers to join them at their facility in celebration of the accomplishment.

CEO Jim Harvey says he is thankful for the people who have allowed his business to grow. "It is quite an accomplishment for a family to be in business for 100 years" he says. "We wanted to celebrate our success with those that made it possible, our customers."

E.L. Harvey says its mission is to reduce and minimize as much trash as possible while gaining as much value as possible. Its goal is to double its size within the next five years. Plans for expansion in residential collection are underway.

With plans to improve the convenience of recycling, E.L. Harvey is building an 80,000-square-foot facility with a single stream sorting system.

 

// Association Activities

National Demolition Association Develops Tools for Demolition Projects

The National Demolition Association (NDA), Doylestown, Pa., is offering a free checklist that the association says will take the client through the completion of a successful demolition job. The organization says real estate developers, architects and engineers should have a basic understanding of the demolition process and what should be included in a standard demolition contract before embarking on a demolition project.

"The NDA developed the Demolition Planning Document to give the buyers of our services the recommendations to help minimize any problems that might occur during the process," says Michael Taylor, executive director of the NDA. "The better everyone understands the demolition process beforehand, the less likely there will be disputes and requests for change orders down the line."

In addition to the Demolition Planning Document, the NDA is posting a Model Demolition Specification, which offers specific contract language buyers can consider including in their contracts to make sure they manage all parties' expectations concerning things such as permitting, insurance, health and safety reports and waste disposal.

Taylor explains that a successful project requires a great deal of pre-planning in order for both the demolition contractor and owner/operator of the site to coordinate all facets of the project. "Almost every project involves some detours and changes that inevitably occur," he says. "But with a solid plan and direct course of action, the negative impact on project schedules, costs, and liabilities can be kept to an absolute minimum."

Along with the Purdue Press textbook on the demolition process Demolition: Practices, Technology and Management by Richard Diven and Mark Shaurette, the NDA says it is leading the way by presenting in a systematic way for the first time the means and methods that define what modern demolition contractors do.

"Frankly, many of our clients really haven't understood the demolition process in the past," Taylor says. "One of the main goals of the association today is to expand the public knowledge base so that our customers, including those in the construction, engineering, architectural, and real estate markets, have the tools they need to do their jobs better."

The Demolition Planning Document, now posted on the NDA's website www.demolitionassociation.com, has a checklist of stages or activities that must be completed in every job, which may include:

• Proposed use of site
• Utility disconnect responsibility
• Reuse of materials from project
• Extent of underground demolition
• Responsibility of temporary facilities
• Expected site condition after demolition

In addition to the Demolition Planning Document, the Model Demolition Specification includes sample submittals, general conditions, and pre-execution, execution, and restoration and closeout language for consideration, as well as a sample insurance requirement document posted for viewing.

"The National Demolition Association is intent on taking a giant step forward in helping our clients purchase our members' services in a knowledgeable way, while eliminating many of the problems that often arise on a construction or demolition site," Taylor says. "These documents are one way we're making this happen."

To view the Demolition Planning Document and the Model Demolition Specification, go to www.demolitionassociation.com, and click on "Our Industry." Printable and downloadable pdf's are available.

 

// Company News

Cherry Opens C&D Recycling Facility in Texas

Cherry, a Houston-based recycling and demolition company, has opened a new facility in Hitchcock, Texas. With the newest plant, Cherry now has four recycling facilities in Texas.

The new facility, located on 14 acres, is accepting concrete, asphalt and residential composition asphalt shingles for recycling. At the present time the company says it will not be taking in any wood at the facility. "It is not cost-effective to recycle wood," says Leonard Cherry, president of Cherry. However, he says that if the dynamics change, the company could start accepting wood.

The new facility will have primary and secondary screens, a pug mill as well as some peripheral equipment to help process the material. Cherry says that the new facility will service the Galveston County area around Houston.

The raw product feed that will be delivered to the new facility will come from Cherry's demolition jobs, rolloffs and the company's other operations.

Cherry also has applied to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for a permit to accept and recycle used tires at the new recycling center. Until the permit is approved, Cherry will only collect tires at the new facility and ship them to the company's Houston recycling center for processing.

Cherry acknowledges that handling tires is a fairly new product for Cherry. "Tires, RAP (Recycled Asphalt Product) and RAS (Recycled Asphalt Shingles) are materials we have added in the past two years. For us, growth is driven by either geographic expansion or new product lines. We have to think outside the box."

 

// Legal Issues

Unlicensed Hauler Indicted for Illegal Dumping

The Franklin County (Ohio) Grand Jury has indicted Richard Fintak on two counts of illegally operating a solid waste transfer station and one count of open dumping. According the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO), an estimated 20,000 cubic yards of solid waste, construction and demolition debris, roofing and other materials were dumped at the site.

"Unlicensed trash haulers and the sites they use for illegal dumping can breed health hazards for nearby residents and workers," says Ron Mills, SWACO's executive director.

Clean up and proper disposal would cost an estimated $316,000.

 

// Company News

Empire Today Initiates Carpet Recycling Program

The carpet producer Empire Today, based in Northlake, Ill., has signed on to participate with the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) by initiating a recycling program.

Through a partnership with CLEAR (Carpet Landfill Elimination And Recycling), 100 percent of the carpet and padding removed by Empire's residential, small business and commercial installers that can be recycled, will be recycled, the company claims.

To accomplish this, in first quarter 2011, Empire piloted a new recycling program in select service areas. Since then, more than six million pounds of carpet and padding have been recycled. The program is operational in more than 25 of Empire's service areas and continues expanding throughout the remainder of the year.

"We continually strive to make a positive impact on the communities we live in and service each and every day," says Steve Silvers,Empire Today CEO.

 

// Highways and Roads

Georgia DOT Uses Recycled Tires in Asphalt

The Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) has laid rubber-modified asphalt (RMA), made from recycled tires, in Bibb County, Ga. The state is expanding on previous studies with RMA, testing the material's performance versus traditional asphalt materials in "real-world conditions," according to Lehigh Technologies.

Currently, according to Lehigh Technologies, Georgia permits rubber modification in certain asphalt pavement type and jobs. The test is being conducted in collaboration with several Georgia companies: Reeves Construction, a leader in the heavy highway and asphalt paving industry in Georgia; Liberty Tire Recycling, which does the primary processing of the end-of-life tires from Georgia; and Lehigh Technologies, which processes the product from Liberty into sustainable micronized rubber powder (MRP) that is added to the asphalt formulation to be applied by Reeves.

The test is being overseen by the Georgia DOT and supported by the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) and will use about 20,000 end-of-life tires.

The results from the trial, along with a major study underway at NCAT, will provide objective, controlled data on different asphalt rubber composites.

Rubber-modified asphalt is currently being used in a number of states' roads, including Arizona, Florida and Texas. According to Lehigh Technologies, benefits of including recycled rubber into asphalt include longer lasting road surfaces, reduced road maintenance and lower road noise. Furthermore, using recycled rubber is using tires that would otherwise be discarded into a landfill.

 

// Biomass Energy

Ferrum College Begins Building Biomass Boiler

Ferrum College, Ferrum, Va., has begun construction on a biomass boiler designed to provide "low-cost, green energy" to its campus.

According to a news release issued by Ferrum College, the boiler will provide approximately 65 percent of heat and hot water to the campus. "The boiler will burn byproducts from the lumber industry, which in many cases would be considered waste," according to the college. "In the future the boiler may also burn agricultural products such as locally grown switchgrass."

The news release also states the boiler "is designed to burn sustainable fuels at extreme temperatures in which emissions, primarily in the form of steam, fall well within the guidelines prescribed by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Environmental Quality."

"We are proud to be building a facility that serves as an example of Ferrum's commitment to sustainable initiatives," says the college's president, Jennifer Braaten. Braaten says the biomass boiler also will include an instructional area and research boiler to provide Ferrum faculty and students with a working lab in which to study green energy technologies.

The facility, to be known as the English Biomass Research Complex, was designed by English Boiler and Tube Inc., of Henrico County, Va. The company also is installing the boiler in cooperation with the college.

Construction on the site began in August of 2011 and completion is expected by March of 2012. Once finished, the project is estimated to save the college approximately 25 percent annually on its heating costs.

 

// Asphalt Shingles

Owens Corning Forms Alliance with Earth911

Owens Corning, Toledo, Ohio, through its roofing business has announced a strategic alliance with Earth911, Inc., to expand shingle recycling opportunities for contractors and consumers. The alliance, says Owens Corning, supports its commitment to sustainable roofing practices and broadens the scope of the company's shingle recycling program by providing access to contractors who utilize local shingle recyclers found on Earth911.com, host of a recycling directory in North America.

In 2009, Owens Corning Roofing established the nation's first shingle recycling program in alliance with Heritage Environmental Services.

Since its inception, the program has recycled more than 80,000 tons of asphalt shingles, the equivalent of saving 80,000 barrels of oil, according to the company.

"This new alliance with Owens Corning Roofing represents a tremendous opportunity for contractors and consumers to make a difference through this new method of reducing waste, which saves valuable petroleum in the form of asphalt," says Barry Monheit, Earth911 CEO.

"We commend Owens Corning for its leadership in driving sustainable business practices in the building materials industry," adds Monheit.

Contractors who take the Owens Corning Roofing Shingle Recycling Pledge, can now use the Earth911 Recycling Directory, which is available via Earth911.com, the toll-free 1-800-CLEANUP hotline, or the free iRecycle app for Android and iOS mobile devices to locate an expanded list of local recyclers in their area.

 

// Green Building

Empire State Building Achieves LEED Gold Certification

The Empire State Building has been awarded a LEED Gold for Existing Buildings certification for its $550 million Empire State ReBuilding program.

The 2.85 million-square-foot building is celebrating its 80th anniversary while nearing completion of its renewal and repurposing to meet the needs of 21st century businesses, according to a press release issued by Jones Lang LaSalle.

According to the firm, the Empire State Building is one of a small number of National Historic Landmarks to earn the designation, which was established by the USGBC and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI).

The LEED Gold certification follows the creation and implementation of a new replicable, transparent, quantifiable process for economically justified energy efficient retrofits in the existing-built environment created a team of the Clinton Climate Initiative, Johnson Controls, Jones Lang LaSalle and the Rocky Mountain Institute.

Beyond energy efficiency, activities at the Empire State Building that helped achieve LEED Gold certification include:

• Recycling of tenant waste and construction debris;
• Use of recycled paper products;
• Use of recycled content carpets, low off-gassing wall coverings, paints and adhesives;
• Installation of ultra low-flow fixtures in the building's restrooms;
• Use of green cleaning supplies and pest control products;

The retrofit conducted by Johnson Controls and Jones Lang LaSalle is guaranteed to reduce the building's energy consumption by more than 38 percent and is expected to save $4.4 million in energy costs per year.

The building gained ENERGY STAR certification in 2010 and it has maintained the ENERGY STAR certification in 2011.

 

// Forecasts & Statistics

Construction Industry Adds 26,000 Jobs in September

Construction employers added 26,000 jobs between August and September as the industry's unemployment rate dropped to 13.3 percent, according to an analysis of new federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). Association officials say the increase is the first significant change in construction employment levels since February and reflects growing private sector demand for nonresidential construction projects.

"These numbers give us a taste for how investing in construction activity can really boost overall employment figures," says Stephen E. Sandherr, the association's chief executive officer. "However, the real question is whether these numbers are an anomaly or the start of a positive trend."

Total construction employment now stands at 5,551,000, compared to 5,514,000 in September 2010, a 0.7 percent increase. The bulk of the construction gains came from the nonresidential sector. Nonresidential building construction added 13,200 jobs in September while nonresidential specialty trade contractors added 10,700 jobs and heavy and civil engineering construction added 6,200. Meanwhile, residential building contractors added only 1,800 jobs while residential specialty trade contractors lost 5,600 jobs.

Sandherr says the industry's 13.3 percent unemployment rate was an improvement from the 17.2 percent rate of a year earlier but far above the all-industry rate of 9.1 percent. He cautioned that much of the decline in the industry's unemployment rate was caused by construction workers leaving the industry, as opposed to returning to the sector's workforce.

AGC officials caution that the increase in construction employment will be short-lived if Congress and the Administration continue making cuts to infrastructure and construction programs.

 

// Company News

Deceuninck North America Launches PVC Recycling Program

Deceuninck North America, a designer and manufacturer of systems for windows, doors, interiors and outdoor living, based in Monroe, Ohio, has partnered with JP Industrial (JPI), Lisbon, Ohio, to introduce a comprehensive recycling program for its customers. JPI says it is the largest recycler of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) materials nationwide.

As part of the program, JPI collects end cuts and other scraps from Deceuninck's fabricators and provides the recycled content to Deceuninck so that the company can re-introduce it into the manufacturing process. Deceuninck launched the program Sept. 1, 2011.

"Deceuninck's commitment to sustainability is evident in our cradle-to-cradle approach," says Filip Geeraert, president and CEO of Deceuninck North America. "We have a zero waste goal, and our partnership with JPI will help us meet this goal by reclaiming unused product that might have otherwise ended up in the waste stream. We look forward to realizing the positive impact this recycling program will have on our customers and the building and construction industry at large."

In addition to the company's partnership with JPI, Deceuninck says it demonstrates its commitment to sustainability by sourcing recycling materials, manufacturing long-lasting, low-maintenance and energy-efficient building materials that can be fully recycled at the end of life and using smarter methods for the shipping and the delivery of its products.

 

// Conference Coverage

Legislation Helps Boost C&D Debris Recovery Rates

In addition to the economics of construction and demolition (C&D) materials recycling having improved, state legislation and local ordinances also have driven more C&D recycling. That was part of the message from panelists at a session on C&D recycling at Wastecon, the annual convention of SWANA (the Solid Waste Association of North America).

Speaker Richard Ludt of Interior Removal Specialist Inc. (IRS), South Gate, Calif., noted how a number of ordinances enacted in Southern California have affected C&D scrap diversion flows in his market region.

Reacting to California Assembly Bill 939, which was passed in 1989 with the goal of increasing landfill diversion to 50 percent, municipalities enacted a variety of ordinances affecting C&D materials, Ludt said.

He said some communities have required contractors to pay a deposit that will not be returned until their project is finished and they can prove they reached a specified landfill diversion or recycling rate. Such arrangements were not always well received by contractors and also tended to create extensive recordkeeping and accounting systems for the municipalities.

Ludt praised the city of Los Angeles for creating "possibly the simplest C&D ordinance I have seen." In Los Angeles, C&D materials must be taken to certified facilities that have been audited and approved by the city. "They reach their desired recycling percentage by permitting [facilities] carefully," said Ludt. "Builders like it because there is no deposit and city staff like it because there is no tracking of deposit payments."

In King County, Wash., Zimms said agencies there are providing considerable technical support, have streamlined the permitting process and offer grants tied to "green building" LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) projects. These initiatives have been enough to boost the C&D materials landfill diversion rate to 83 percent in King County, according to Zimms.

Wastecon was Aug. 23-25 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tenn.