In this issue

• Feature article
• King County focus
• Fast Facts
• Material highlights
• in the loop

Material highlights

In 2011 LinkUp is focusing its market development efforts on three priority materials: asphalt shingles, carpet and mattresses.

Illinois allows RAS in HMA
In August, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation to allow the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to use RAS in asphalt paving projects. The new law allows the use of RAS in road construction projects, requires IDOT's asphalt mix designs to allow for the recycled shingles, and requires IDOT to use as much recycled materials as possible in its construction projects. By using more recycled materials in its projects, IDOT could save an estimated $8 million per year. Read more.

Earlier this year, IDOT Bureau of Materials and Physical Research adopted a RAS specification effective March 1, 2011. IDOT also adopted a RAS sourcing and quality control policy memorandum (revised April 1, 2011).

Oregon DOT allows RAS in HMAC
Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) recently released a new special provision specification that allows up to 5 percent by weight of RAS in hot mix asphalt concrete. This new RAS specification allows both the use of manufacturers' scrap and RAS derived from used shingles from tear-off re-roofing jobs. Click here to download a copy of the new ODOT specification.

Oregon State University (OSU) has been conducting a research project that helped provide background information to ODOT for its new specification. According to principal researcher Todd Scholz, an assistant professor of Civil and Construction Engineering, the final OSU report is just about finished and will soon be submitted to ODOT. Earlier this year, OSU helped ODOT develop specifications for two pilot asphalt road construction projects using RAS. One pilot test was conducted on an off-ramp of Interstate 5 in the western part of the state in the Willamette Valley. The other was on Highway U.S. 20 in the eastern part of the state, a region with high elevations and a harsh environment for pavements.

New recycling requirements proposed for construction materials in Seattle
Seattle Public Utilities proposes to boost C&D recycling from 61 percent to 70 percent by 2020 through new programs. These recommendations are found in Seattle's draft Solid Waste Management Plan. Meetings are being held with building trade association members regarding the draft recommendations which include:

• Continued support for Green Building programs, salvage and deconstruction;
• Construction and demolition recycling facility certification; and
• Phased landfill disposal bans on readily recyclable materials that include metal, cardboard, carpet, plastic film wrap, clean wood, new construction gypsum scrap and tear-off asphalt shingles.

Disposal bans are already in place for asphalt paving, bricks and concrete and yard debris from construction sites.

Opening of Evergreen Shingle Recycling
A new asphalt shingle recycling facility, Evergreen Shingle Recycling, opened for business in May in Woodinville. The company accepts tear-off asphalt shingles and processes them into recycled asphalt shingles, a ground product that can be used in hot mix asphalt pavement and for other uses. When roofing contractors use Evergreen's services, they are provided a certificate that they can pass along to their customers confirming that the asphalt shingles from their roofing projects were recycled.

Carpet removal best practices
King County LinkUp recently facilitated a work group of local flooring industry representatives, recyclers that sort and process carpet, air quality and worker safety regulatory agencies and other interested parties to assist in developing the 2011 Carpet Removal Best Practices for Carpet Recycling. When used, these best practices will help ensure that carpet removed from buildings is suitable for recycling. With the increasing availability of carpet recycling in the Pacific Northwest, the best practices will be a valuable tool for flooring professionals, and will help reduce contamination of recovered carpet and thus reduce the incidence of contaminated carpet delivered for recycling.

See item under In the Loop below to learn about asbestos awareness training that is being offered to the flooring industry by the Washington State Floor Covering Association.

Empire Today selected for flooring contract
The City of Seattle is nearing completion of a procurement process for flooring products and services, to be available nationwide to public agencies and charities through the U.S. Communities purchasing consortium. The resulting contract will require carpet recycling and environmentally-preferable products. Proposals were evaluated at the end of September by a committee of technical and purchasing staff from around the country, and Empire Today was selected as the intended awardee.

National carpet recycling talks suspended
Formal talks among carpet industry and governments to negotiate a nationwide carpet product stewardship and recycling system have been suspended as of August. The effort began last April. In September of 2010, the State of California enacted a carpet take-back law, Assembly Bill 2398, with support from carpet manufacturers and involvement through the Carpet America Recovery Effort. The national talks stalled over the subject of sustainable funding for carpet recycling in states other than in California. Many parties continue to work actively on carpet recycling in their own regions and markets.

California Carpet Stewardship Program update
California is the first state in the nation to establish a carpet stewardship program. The program, which will be implemented by carpet manufacturers, is designed to increase diversion of post-consumer carpet from landfills and recycling of the material into to new products.

Since July 1, 2011, an assessment of five cents per square yard has been added to the purchase price of carpet sold in California to pay for the cost of the stewardship program. The Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE)—the stewardship organization overseeing the program—has submitted the required stewardship plan to CalRecycle (California's Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery) for review. CalRecycle must approve or comment on the plan by Nov. 29, 2011. Also currently under way is rulemaking which “seeks to add clarity and establish necessary administrative procedures covering stewardship plan approval criteria, a process for CalRecycle to accept payment for its services related to oversight and enforcement, the establishment of penalty ranges that reflect a progressive enforcement approach, and criteria for acceptance of annual reports.” Learn more.

Seattle Public Utilities proposes to ban carpet from landfills in 2013
A measure included in the 2011 Seattle Solid Waste Plan would prohibit landfilling of carpet beginning in 2013. Carpet is one of several materials the City is working to move out of the “garbage” and into productive reuse and recycling. As recycling options grow for materials like carpet, the City solid waste agency proposes landfill bans as a means of “leveling the playing field,” increasing certainty about materials for recyclers and manufacturers who use recovered materials, and, of course, to increase recycling tonnage.

Over the past several years Seattle has already banned a number of materials, including common recyclables such as paper, cans and bottles, yard waste and food waste. Earlier this year, Seattle banned asphalt paving, bricks, and concrete from construction jobs, items which were already being recycled at a rate exceeding 90 percent. Carpet recycling options have been growing locally, among carpet sellers, recycling collection and sorting firms and new processors of recovered carpet material.

Mattress recycling north of the border
Metro Vancouver, B.C. banned landfill disposal of mattresses earlier this year, and has since successfully recycled some 50,000 mattresses. Currently, three companies are dismantling mattresses and recycling their components in the Vancouver area: MattressRecycling.ca, Canadian Mattress Recycling, and Recyc-Mattresses Inc. Washington state currently has one mattress recycler, Correctional Industries.

Mattress legislation
Since convening the National Mattress Stewardship Meeting in April, the Product Stewardship Institute has been coordinating discussions among interested parties nationwide (state and local agencies, nonprofits and industry) to develop model product stewardship legislation for mattresses. An outline of model mattress stewardship legislation is being finalized and some east coast jurisdictions have expressed interest in being the first to introduce such legislation in the near future. Stay tuned as mattress stewardship develops.

Mattress summit!
LinkUp and the Take it Back Network will be convening an open meeting to discuss mattress recycling in King County. Details are being determined but expect the summit in early December 2011. Businesses and organizations that have questions or are interested in participating, please contact Alex Erzen at 206-296-4352.

In the Loop

Asbestos awareness seminars offered to flooring industry
Washington State Floor Covering Association (WSFCA) will be sponsoring three, two-hour Asbestos Awareness Training Seminars specifically geared for the flooring industry. The dates are Nov. 10 in Spokane, Dec. 12 in Kent and Dec. 13 in Bellevue. For more information or to register please email WSFCA or 425-885-0012. WSFCA's mission: “Improving and unifying the floor covering industry in Washington State through education and training.”

Product Management Alliance launches
The Product Management Alliance is a newly established membership organization, launched in September 2011, that “supports voluntary market-based extended producer responsibility efforts and voluntary incentives for increased recycling and sustainable design” and “opposes broad Extended Producer Responsibility framework proposals that solely shift the cost of product collection and reclamation to product manufacturers.” The Alliance was founded by representatives from the carpet, electronics, toys, paper, packaging and transportation materials, mattresses, plastics, personal goods and pharmaceutical industries.

Cleanscapes of Seattle merges with Recology of San Francisco
On Oct. 4 Cleanscapes announced that their firm would be merging with San Francisco-based Recology. Currently, Cleanscapes provides garbage, recycling and yard waste hauling services to Seattle, Shoreline, Des Moines, Issaquah, Portland and San Francisco. With the announcement of the merger, Cleanscapes plans to keep management intact in Washington and expand their footprint and services. Read more.