SD53 - The Use of Recycled Materials in Highway Construction
Executive Summary: This report was prepared for the Recycled Materials in Highway Construction Advisory Committee by W. L. Hayden, state Materials Engineer for the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), in response to Senate Bill 469 which requested VDOT to establish a committee to review and prepare methods to allow and encourage recycled products in highway construction. The Committee reviewed many products and waste materials that are being reprocessed, or have a potential for being reprocessed, for use in highway construction. The final action of the Committee was to recommend that the VDOT prepare specifications for recycled products in the following areas: • Recycled glass • Recycled tire rubber • Recycled plastics • Recycled wood and paper • Recycled concrete • Recycled asphalt pavements The Committee reviewed the availability of various waste materials and processes that have been developed before recommending these areas of use and determined that the processes exist and enough material is available to make specifications feasible. The Committee recommended that specifications be developed and introduced in such a way as to allow the recycled products to be competitively bid with other products and processes. VDOT conducted a literature review, tried experimental projects and developed specifications to accomplish the Committee's recommendations in each of the areas. The Committee also recommended that the legislature direct the Committee to remain standing for a period of 5 years to serve as a reviewer of new recycled processes and recycled products in order that the industry, waste collection agencies and others having an interest in finding new markets for recycled products might have someone to contact. It is believed that this Committee could serve as a mechanism to investigate the potential for new recycled highway products that are being proposed to legislative committees. |
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