Industry news

// Company news

Delaware C&D recycling facility expands

Revolution Recovery Delaware LLC has expanded its construction and demolition (C&D) recycling facility at the Delaware Solid Waste Authority’s (DSWA’s) Delaware Recycling Center (DRC). The facility is located at 1101 Lambsons Lane in New Castle, Delaware. In March 2014, the facility grew from 42,000 square feet to 84,000 square feet with a 300-foot mechanical separation system designed to improve efficiency and increase diversion of C&D materials in Delaware.

With this expansion, Revolution Recovery Delaware says it hopes to diversify and strengthen the recycling industry in the state. Working in partnership with local commercial waste haulers and businesses, the facility is expected to increase the amount of material diverted from landfills, which will help meet the Delaware Solid Waste Recycling Law’s goal of diverting 85 percent of solid waste by 2020.

Haulers, contractors, manufacturers, industries, commercial businesses and residential customers in the northern Delaware region now have a local facility that sorts and processes mixed loads of commercial debris at rates competitive to landfills, the company says. Materials such as wood, drywall, metal, rubble, old corrugated containers (OCC), plastics, ceiling tile, paper, carpet and other items are being targeted for recycling, the company says. With a mission to keep materials out of landfills as a driving force, approximately 80 percent of all inbound materials are being recovered and recycled for beneficial use, according to Revolution Recovery Delaware.

With this phase of growth, Revolution Recovery Delaware says it is on target to create an additional 20 jobs in New Castle by the end of 2014 with hopes of doubling its staff in future expansion phases of its operations.
 

Stat Snapshot: Construction industry employment reached a five-year high in August 2014 as the sector added 20,000 jobs and its unemployment rate fell to 7.7 percent, the lowest rate for August in seven years. [Source: Associated General Contractors of America (AGC)]

// Demolition projects

EPA seeks removal of former scrap yard from Superfund list

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed removing the Consolidated Iron & Metal Co. site in Newburgh, New York, from the EPA’s Superfund list of the most contaminated hazardous waste sites.

The agency made the proposal after demolishing buildings and removing more than 68,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil, 30,000 tires, 1,400 tons of scrap metal and 380 tons of concrete from the site.

According to the EPA, past operations at the site had contaminated the soil and groundwater with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and metals, the EPA says.

“Ironically, the Consolidated Iron & Metal site is located on the banks of a beautiful stretch of the Hudson River. I am happy that the cleanup is complete and this important land can become a useful asset to the Newburgh community,” says Judith Enck, EPA regional administrator.

The EPA and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) have determined that all necessary cleanup actions have been completed and the site no longer poses a threat to people’s health or the environment.

The EPA says it will continue to oversee groundwater monitoring and will conduct periodic reviews to ensure that the cleanup continues to be protective.

Consolidated Iron & Metal was a scrap metal recycling facility that operated at the site from the 1950s until 1999. The company also operated a smelter on the site, primarily for aluminum scrap.

In the late 1990s, the NYSDEC conducted several inspections at the facility and cited Consolidated’s owner for a number of violations.

The agency adds that further NYSDEC inspections revealed that the owner had not corrected the violations. The state found oil and other waste liquids in the soil as well as stormwater being discharged into the Hudson River without appropriate testing or permits.

In the fall of 1999, New York state’s attorney general closed operations at the site. Sampling performed by the EPA indicated that soil was contaminated with VOCs, PCBs and metals.

To date, EPA has spent about $45 million to address the site, of which more than $14 million has been paid by parties potentially responsible for contamination at the site. As part of its work under a consent decree with EPA, the city of Newburgh has developed a plan to manage the site and determine how to redevelop the property.

The EPA has concluded that the cleanup work has been successful and that the site can now be taken off of the Superfund list.

// Demolition projects

Detroit takes precautions against demolition health hazards

Officials in Detroit are taking steps to prevent respiratory illness and other health problems among residents living near vacant and blighted properties slated for demolition, according to a report in The Detroit News. The article says the city is urging residents to keep watch on demolitions and hold contractors accountable. Federal environmental officials on a city task force with the state Department of Environmental Quality as well as private contractors are reportedly pleased with the effort.

“Having completed a major overhaul of the demolition process, Detroit’s new demolition practices balance speed, cost and environmental performance,” the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says. “These practices may be applicable to other communities seeking to reduce the environmental impact of demolitions, comply with applicable environmental regulations, and ultimately leave sites better positioned for future reuse.”

The Detroit News report says these health efforts come as the city ramps up to about 200 demolitions per week. In May, the city hired watchdogs to monitor demolitions and mounted a campaign to inform residents on how to guard against dust and debris.  

 

// Asphalt shingles

Shingle recycling research receives funding boost

University of Massachusetts (UMass) Dartmouth civil and environmental engineering professor Dr. Walaa Mogawer has received $250,000 from the New England Transportation Consortium (NETC) for research on “Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) Mixture Containing Recycled Asphalt Shingles.” The research is designed to further study and develop technologies in the area of pavement material construction and sustainability.

The NETC says an increase in the cost of asphalt mixtures has become a challenge for transportation agencies that generally operate with limited budgets. Furthermore, producers of asphalt mixtures are faced with the challenge to conserve natural resources and to produce environmentally friendly mixtures that are cost effective. One way industry can address the challenge of conserving natural resources is by using readily available recycled materials such as recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) and reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP).

According to NETC, only 10 to 15 percent of reclaimed materials are used to build roads today. However, taxpayers already save more than $1.5 billion per year by recycling asphalt. In 2010, 20.5 million barrels of asphalt binder was conserved by the recycling of asphalt pavements and asphalt shingles. Another $1 billion worth of asphalt could be saved each year in the U.S. if the nearly 10 million tons of shingles that currently go into U.S. landfills were recycled, the NETC claims.

The goal of Dr. Mogawer’s research will be to evaluate plant-produced HMA mixtures that contain RAS to identify the critical material properties and plant operations that are needed to produce RAS mixtures with fatigue and low temperature cracking properties equivalent or better than typical mixtures that are produced.

Dr. Mogawer serves as the director of the UMass Dartmouth Highway Sustainability Research Center (HSRC), bringing more than 20 years of experience in pavement design, maintenance and rehabilitation to the lab alongside numerous students from the Civil and Environmental Engineering program. In addition, the lab, located at the Advanced Technology & Manufacturing Center in Fall River, Massachusetts, is equipped with asphalt and pavement testing equipment and technology. Established in 2001, the lab has helped establish a working partnership with local and state agencies and private companies.

Since joining UMass Dartmouth, Dr. Mogawer has served as principal investigator on several research projects funded by MassHighway, NETC and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Mogawer received his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Kuwait University in 1981 and a master’s and a doctorate degree in civil and environmental engineering from the University of Rhode Island in 1984 and 1989, respectively.

The NETC is a research cooperative between the state departments of transportation of Connecticut (ConnDOT), Maine (MaineDOT), Massachusetts (MassDOT), New Hampshire (NHDOT), Rhode Island (RIDOT) and Vermont (VTrans). The NETC is a regional partnership for the identification, prosecution and dissemination of shared transportation research initiatives.

// Demolition projects

Air Force selects firm to demolish site in New York state

The U.S. Air Force has agreed to fund the demolition of the former BAE Systems site in the town of Union, New York. Cape Environmental Management Inc. (CEM), a Norcross, Georgia, construction firm, has been selected to demolish the old BAE site.

“Finally, with a demolition contract in hand, we can begin the process of tearing this derelict building down and preparing it for future use,” U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., says. “Over the months ahead, I will continue to monitor the progress and stand ready to help in any way I can to make sure this project moves along on schedule.”

Schumer continues, “The Air Force’s commitment to demolish the former BAE site is great news for the town of Union and its residents. This site has been a black mark on the neighborhood for far too long and has been a real drain on the local economy. Now, with the Air Force fully committed to demolition, we can finally begin to turn the page on this derelict site.”

According to a press release issued by Schumer’s office, the senator has long fought to demolish and supported redevelopment of the former BAE site after it was severely flooded following Tropical Storm Lee in 2011 to the point that it was no longer inhabitable. Schumer’s first effort following the flooding was to make sure BAE committed to staying in the region in order to keep 1,350 jobs in New York state’s Southern Tier. Once the jobs were safe, Schumer focused on ensuring the federal government honored its commitment to handle the shutdown and demolition of the vacant property, which is owned by the Air Force. In March 2014, Schumer announced that the Air Force had committed $1.2 million to conduct an environmental assessment of the site, the first major step in the demolition process.

“The demolition of the former BAE site is welcome news and a tremendous step forward in our ongoing flood recovery,” says town of Union Supervisor Rose Sotak. “The site is a gateway to our community and a key component in shaping the future of the town of Union.”

// Company news

Recycling Today Media Group’s parent company relocates

GIE Media Inc., the parent company of the Recycling Today Media Group and a leading business-to-business media company serving some 25 different industries through print and digital magazines, websites, e-newsletters, apps, conferences, reference books and other media platforms, has moved to new offices at 5811 Canal Rd., Valley View, Ohio 44125.

For several years the company has maintained two offices in Ohio: one in Richfield, Ohio, and one in Cleveland.

GIE acquired its new office building in March and has been making renovations and updates to the property.

“Since purchasing the building, we’ve made considerable investments to support the technology that drives our business and provide all of GIE’s team members with a modern, efficient and productive workplace,” says Christopher Foster, company CEO. “With 25,000 square feet, the building can easily accommodate our current workforce of 90-plus, while also allowing ample room for continued growth.”

Throughout its history, GIE has continued to invest in the development of leading-edge publications for the industries it serves. As the Internet has grown, and with it the development of digital media platforms, GIE has continued to expand through multimedia platforms, video and database management tools.

Richard Foster founded GIE Media in 1980. The company began with one magazine and a staff of three in a small space above the Ohio City Tavern in the Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland. Business quickly doubled, and GIE moved down the street on Bridge Avenue to a larger location that the company still owns.

GIE is the publisher of Recycling Today, Recycling Today Global Edition, Construction & Demolition Recycling, Storage & Destruction Business and Renewable Energy from Waste magazines.

// People

In Memoriam: Robert Harvey

Robert Harvey, who help found the recycling and waste management firm E.L. Harvey & Sons, Westborough, Massachusetts, in 2011, passed away on Aug. 30.

Robert Harvey joined his father Emory L. Harvey, and his brother, James A. Harvey, in the family business, which was formed in 1911. In 1940 the company began offering recycling services.

He was president of the company until his retirement in 2004.

Harvey is survived by his wife of 72 years, Jane; two sons, William and Ben; and a daughter, Dorothy Thompson. His eldest son, Robert Jr., died in 1984.

Family owned for four generations, E.L. Harvey operates, among a number of systems, a high-grade scrap paper processing and baling plant that contains a plant-based shredding system as well as a C&D transfer and recycling operation.

// Legislation and regulations

OSHA offers resources for demolition industry

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has developed new educational resources and training for the construction and demolition industry. The administration notes that in late June a construction worker taking down an old Blockbuster Video building in New Jersey was trapped and killed when the last standing wall of a building under demolition collapsed on top of him. Six months prior, a 25-year-old construction worker in Chicago was struck and killed by falling concrete debris during a shopping mall renovation. “These tragedies follow the June 5, 2013, collapse of a four-story building undergoing demolition in Philadelphia that killed six people and injured 14,” OSHA says, adding, “These deaths could have been prevented.”

“Demolition workers face many hazards and their lives should not be sacrificed because of deliberate neglect of demolition fundamentals,” says Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. “Employers must ensure that all workers involved in a demolition project are fully aware of hazards and safety precautions before work begins and as it progresses.”

OSHA recently launched an updated demolition website to address the hazards common in demolition operations and the safety measures that can be taken to prevent them. The demolition page provides information on applicable OSHA standards, hazard assessments, measures that can be taken to prevent injuries and illnesses before site work begins and a link for stakeholders to share stories about demolition safety.

From 2009 to 2013, OSHA issued nearly 1,000 citations for violations of OSHA’s construction demolition standards. The most common citation issued was for failure to conduct an engineering survey to determine the condition of the structure prior to demolition. This includes determining whether an unplanned collapse of the building or any adjacent structure would injure those working in the vicinity.

// Association activities

Recleim recycles HVAC units in South Carolina

Recleim LLC, an appliance recycling services provider headquartered in Graniteville, South Carolina, and the South Carolina Association of Heating and Air Conditioning Contractors (SCAHACC) are offering contractors in South Carolina a new method to recycle HVAC systems.

Recleim says through the partnership contractors in the state are able to eliminate the need to deconstruct their HVAC units while still getting “a fair price” for the systems.

Under the agreement, SCAHACC members can direct a portion of the proceeds from the HVAC units sold to Recleim to their association for their annual dues. Recleim pays the contractors for used HVAC systems and removes units at no expense. Upon request, Recleim also provides a “certificate of destruction,” a traceable document confirming that the appliance recycling firm has accepted responsibility for fully processing all goods received in a manner that meets federal, state and local requirements.

“Teaming up with Recleim is a win for HVAC contractors across the state and the environment,” says Lee Boylston, president of SCAHACC. “We’re making it easier than ever for our member contractors to reduce operating expenses, keep their SCAHACC memberships up to date and dispose of units in a way that protects the environment.”

Recleim says its process recovers about 95 percent of an HVAC unit’s components by weight and sells the commodities for reuse in other products.

Recleim’s technology and system is provided through an exclusive partnership with Adelmann Umwelt GmbH of Karlstadt, Germany. The Adelmann system is in widespread use in Europe, according to Recleim.

// Green building

EPA awards small business grant to OCC building products producer

UltraCell Insulation LLC, Newtonville, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $100,000 research grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under its Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Program. UltraCell was one of 20 companies nationwide to receive the research award. The company says the research grant will be used to optimize its manufacturing process for producing building insulation made from 100-percent-corrugated-cardboard, to allow it to obtain customer feedback on the product’s performance and to connect the company with future production as well as distribution partners.

“Both the timing and appropriateness of this award will position our company to commercialize UltraCell's new, 100-percent-corrugated-cardboard-based cellulose insulation manufacturing process,” says Mark Brandstein, president and CEO of UltraCell Insulation.

The patented process, developed in conjunction with the University of Maine’s Process Development Center (PDC), enables previously unusable old corrugated cardboard (OCC) to produce high performing cellulose insulation using 100 percent OCC with fire retardant chemicals impregnated into the cellulose fibers. Not only does it allow for up to 100 percent OCC feedstock use, but UltraCell Insulation also reduces carbon emissions in three ways, according to the company

• improves the insulation of buildings by reducing heating/cooling losses and air infiltration;
• consumes a fraction of the energy used in manufacturing other forms of insulation; and
• wood-based cellulose fiber directly sequesters carbon.
   

// Biomass

ReEnergy Black River to provide biomass power to Fort Drum

The U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) has awarded a 20-year contract to ReEnergy Black River, a subsidiary of Latham, New York-based ReEnergy Holdings. Under the terms of this renewable energy supply agreement, ReEnergy Black River says it will provide secure, renewable electricity to Fort Drum.

“This is good news not only for ReEnergy, but for Fort Drum and the North Country region. This will enhance energy security and position Fort Drum as a leader in meeting the military’s ambitious renewable energy goals,” says Larry Richardson, the chief executive officer of ReEnergy Holdings. “The ReEnergy team is proud to assist the U.S. Army in meeting its renewable energy goals, and looks forward to enhancing the North Country’s green energy economy.”

ReEnergy Black River submitted a proposal in spring 2013 to the DLA as part of a competitive procurement process to provide renewable power to Fort Drum, a U.S. Army installation that is home to 37,000 soldiers and family members and employs almost 4,000 civilians.

The federal government is increasing its demand for long-term renewable energy as a result of renewable goals established in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Executive Order 13423, and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. In addition, the Army has established a goal to achieve 1 gigawatt of renewable energy by 2025.

This contract is considered the largest renewable energy project in the history of the U.S. Army.

The ReEnergy Black River facility, located inside the fence at Fort Drum, has 60 megawatts of generation capacity. Before it was idled in early 2010 by its former owner, the facility primarily burned coal to produce electricity.

ReEnergy acquired the facility in December 2011 and invested more than $34 million to convert the facility to use biomass as its primary fuel. The converted facility commenced operations in May 2013. It employs 33 individuals. The facility will provide all of Fort Drum’s electricity needs, which currently peaks at about 28 megawatts. The facility will begin supplying 100 percent of Fort Drum’s electrical load as of Nov. 1.

ReEnergy owns three biomass-to-electricity facilities in New York: ReEnergy Black River at Fort Drum; ReEnergy Lyonsdale in Lewis County; and ReEnergy Chateaugay in Franklin County. Those three facilities have the installed capacity of 103 megawatts—enough electricity to serve 96,000 homes. ReEnergy Holdings also owns facilities in New England that recycle construction and demolition (C&D) debris and process for recycling more than 700,000 tons per year of C&D material.

// Demolition projects

Dorm implosion makes way for green space at Appalachian State University

The former Winkler Hall site at Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina, is being converted to green space for students to enjoy following a June implosion that reduced the building to rubble. The debris was recycled for gravel.

It took only seconds in early June to reduce the 11-story Winkler Hall at Appalachian State University to dust and rubble. (Watch the video at www.cdrecycler.com/appalachian-state-winkler-hall-demolition-implosion-video.aspx.) Now the former residence hall site provides temporary green space for students after 96 percent of the debris has been recycled.

When renovation costs proved to be impractical, the decision was made to raze the aging building. Hundreds of spectators lined Stadium Drive June 1 or watched via a video stream when the building was imploded.

During planning for the demolition, Physical Plant Director Mike O’Connor set a goal of diverting between 60 and 80 percent of the demolished materials from landfill. Once the dust settled and the materials were hauled away, a total of 96.4 percent of the debris, which was concrete brick and block, was crushed for reuse as gravel. According to data from D.H. Griffin Wrecking Co., Greensboro, North Carolina, the Winkler Hall recycling project diverted a total of 7,057 tons of material from landfill.

“Although the nature of a demolition project is much different than a construction or renovation project, one of our goals during the design and bidding of the demolition contract was to maximize the amount of materials that would be recycled,” says David Sweet from Appalachian’s office of planning, design and construction. “The base bid contract required 60 percent recycling, and we included an additive bid item to increase that to 80 percent. However, we were thrilled to learn that D.H. Griffin Wrecking Company had surpassed that by recycling more than 96 percent of the materials removed under their contract.”

Falcon Engineering of Raleigh, North Carolina, managed the demolition. Zachary Lyon, structural engineer with Falcon Engineering, arranged the removal and recycling of demolished materials with Appalachian alumni Travis Clayton and Brian Alexander, both with D. H. Griffin Wrecking.

// Concrete & aggregates

Government Liquidation completes largest auction with sale of recycled asphalt

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has sold 160 million pounds of recycled asphalt it generated from pulverized roads and runways on Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. The sale of the recycled asphalt was sold through Government Liquidation, the exclusive contractor of the Defense Logistics Agency Disposition Services for the sale of surplus and scrap assets of the DOD.

Government Liquidation sold the asphalt through online auctions over the course of two years in seven separate sales. The quantities sold ranged from 8 million to 42 million pounds.

The sale is reportedly the largest auction amount for a single category of scrap material in DOD history.

// Demolition projects

Missouri bridge demolition blast causes unexpected damage

An explosive demolition of an old Mississippi River bridge in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, reportedly caused more damage than crews had planned. The explosive demolition on the morning of Sept. 9, was supposed to drop a 671-foot span of bridge, but according to a report in the Southeast Missourian, the blast caused a chain reaction tearing out part of a concrete pier and sending one end of the remaining 314-foot span crashing into the river.

A Missouri Department of Transportation engineer quoted in the article said the additional damage may have resulted from vibration from the blast which put more stress on the bottom beam of the second span of bridge, causing it to fail.

Dem Tech of Dubois, Wyoming, reportedly performed the explosive demolition, which is part of a $2.23 million demolition of the 76-year-old bridge. All spans of the bridge were scheduled to be demolished by mid-September.